You’ve had the daydream: being a crack musician, rocking out for hundreds of thousands of people.
Ever wondered how it would feel?
Ask Matt Rappaport of Beverly Hills.
Matt is the leader of Collision Six, the band selected to play at this year’s NFL Draft, held in downtown Detroit. Collision Six performed for an astonishing 275,000 rollicking metro Detroiters.
“The energy was electric,” Matt says.
Collision Six started in 2002. The band focuses solely on covers.
“[We love to] play songs that everyone knows and loves, that really get people going.” Matt says.
Collision Six’s repertoire spans the ‘60s to present-day. Over the years, they’ve played Comerica Park, Little Caesars Arena, The Fillmore and more, along with venues like the Detroit Athletic Club and Bay Harbor Yacht Club.
The draft's production company caught the band's act and called Matt, wondering if the band would be interested in the gig.
“Play in front of 300,000 people? Yes please!” says Matt.
Before the gig was theirs, Collision Six had to run the gauntlet of an approval process that included the NFL and Detroit’s mayor.
“[We had to practice] starting and stopping on a dime so we could follow the tight production schedule as each pick was announced,” Matt recalls.
So what was it like jamming in front of almost 300,000 people?
“You know, I didn't really feel nervous,” Matt recalls. “The way [it] was set up, it felt like you were playing in a small theater with just a few hundred people, and that's something we're very comfortable with.
"Beyond that, you could tell there was a sea of people out there, but you couldn’t see the end of the crowd, so it felt like ‘wow,' but it wasn’t as intimidating as I thought it might be. We were just so pumped to do our thing and entertain so many people."
The moment Matt will remember most happened during the band’s performance of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.”
“We love that beginning part when everyone yells ‘South Detroit,’ but hearing 300,000 people do it all together was next-level,” Matt reflects.
Collision Six specializes in weddings and private parties.
“Being the entertainment for someone's most important day fuels us to create the party environment every weekend,” Matt says.
Collision Six regulars Matt, his wife Sarah, Kerry Srot, Nick Wilczynski, Evan Sherman, Michael Taylor, Brandon Bland and Amir Edwards, along with singers JaNae Fox and Corey Taylor, can now say they played in front of the largest crowd in the history of the NFL Draft.
Now that’s rocking out.
…you could tell there was a sea of people out there, but you couldn’t see the end of the crowd, so it felt like ‘wow,' but it wasn’t as intimidating as I thought…we were so pumped to do our thing and entertain so many people.