End of the Year

Hello there,

More of my thank you list for 2008!

Eric Tice. This young man played twice solo at our Open Mic night, appeared once with Dan Gunyan and then twice again with his band Boherald. What a trooper!

Boherald, see above, our thanks to one of the most popular youth bands around.

Raw Deal. Formerly Lucky Seven, performed at Open Mic then came back and played brilliantly at the Insights Halloween party, then headlined the Ecumenical show in Pinckney back in November.

Mr. Hyde. Have known two thirds of this band for over 15 years, extremely talented and a pleasure to be around. As one of their members resurects Flannel Nation Records, I see them being a part of what we're doing here for the young musicians for some time.

Jon Curtis Photography. Jon has been instrumental for us here. In putting together a program for struggling, up and coming artists...a photographer is a must! Jon will come to Open Mic, quietly sit at his table in the front, casually taking pictures of the performers on stage. He'll share the proofs with us and the performers and allow them to purchase prints from his web site or schedule a photo session with him at a later date. Jon's efforts are key because he has developed a package for the performers that we can offer artists when they show up at Open Mic nights. The 8x10 glossy is still a must for any performer to have in their marketing portfolio and due to Jon's efforts, the services we offer here have been enhanced.

End of the year! Part One

Well I apologize for being so lax in my installments here. Promise things will get better in 2009. But man what a 2008! If you knew where I was and where Lamocu Productions was just six months ago your head would be spinning as much as mine. So many contacts, so many opportunities awaiting!


In my next installment I will be giving out kudos to all those who helped make this year a special one. But here are very special people that I must mention now.

Sandi Maki and Al Curtis of The Insights Group. If you don't know these two people and what they do at The Insights Group, you are depriving yourself. Check these two and The Insights Group out, you and your business will be better off I guarantee it.

Trevor Smith for hosting our first Open Mic night months ago. As you have read in recent installments, Trevor is about to hit it big and we're very proud and thankful of the time we spent together.

Lauren Alm, like Trevor, a true local talent about to make it big and we appreciate the time she has spent with us. NOTE: Lauren is headlining our 2009 Open Mic kickoff on Jan. 10th!

Linda Strang, who has believed in me from the beginning. Enough said. Every successful business needs a Linda Strang behind them!

Dan Burkholder, who has been more than a boss, he's become a friend. I know many times he has wondered about me. Many times he has walked away shaking his head and laughing at one of my ideas, but through it all has been one of my biggest supporters and sources of courage.

Pastor Don Weatherup, my friend, confidant and biggest supporter! Where would I be without his guidance and shoulder to cry on? EVERY time I have been down, Don has picked me up and made me believe in myself again. No matter what you're demomination, the place would be a better world with more Don Weatherups around.

Finally, on this short list, Mike Clark and Dave Gibbons. Friends for decades, seen me in practically every situation imaginable and were the first "followers" of the Lamocu blog. Even before there was anything interesting on this blog, they signed up---on the same day even. They did it because they are friends---or they're incredibly bored. Either way I've always been able to count on them to be there for me. Thanks to two of the original Hosers!

This is just a start, but accolades for these nine are long overdue. More to come after the holiday when I have time to reflect. New Years Day is coming fast and promises to be hectic one for me since my Spartans are on the SAME time as the Red Wings. I thought I'd never say this, but I wish I had Tivo. More later, enjoy the holiday and be safe.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas to all...and to all a good night!

Many things to cover, will be back to the grindstone tomorrow. Enjoy the day to the MAX for now. And get ready because 2009 is going to be the best year yet!

See you later now.

NEWSFLASH!

The next day after the entry you just read, Trevor received a call from Mr. Ridley. Again the subject of a dvd was brought up and when Trevor said he didn't have any performance documented that he felt comfortable with...Mr. Ridley invited Trevor back, possibly as soon as Jan. 7th and THEY will shoot the dvd that night at the Comedy Castle. After a night to sleep it over and think about it, Mr. Ridley told Trevor he wants a dvd to send to his "friends" at Comedy Central as soon as possible! If this date in January solidifies we will let you all know asap so you can make plans. Highly encourage you to see this young man one more time before his makes the big time.

In the words of Wayne and Garth, "EXCELLENT!"

Trevor Smith's success @ Mark Ridley's Comdey Castle!

Great news! Award winning stand up comic Trevor Smith (who opened our Open Mic nights back in June) performed at THE Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle last night in Royal Oak. As expected he was excellent, but the best part is what happened afterward in the Green Room. Mr. Ridley himself came backstage to congratulate Trevor! Mr. Ridley loved his performance, said he hoped to see more of him and encouraged him to get a dvd done soon. Trevor is welcome back to the Comedy Castle anytime, Mr. Ridley found his perspective on life and his delivery very refreshing.

Soon Trevor will begin putting together his marketing package because next summer, Trevor plans on fine tuning his craft in the Big Apple. We are all very proud of Trevor and grateful that he graced our stage back in June when Open Mic Night began. Thanks for the laughs, we look forward to more in the future!

New Stuff

Hello again. We have added some new features to our site. Most notably, I figured out how to do a slide show of Open Mic nights. We're still not totally satisfied with the site but we're getting there. Just wanted to drop everything and show off our site with the slide show addition up and running. Have a good day now, more later.

This Saturday! Last Open Mic of 2008

This Saturday we have two returning performers to grace our stage at Open Mic night. First, leading off the festivities on this special night at the special time of 7:30 is David Haslem. David will be doing the next installment in his Apollo space series with the story of Apollo 8. In addition to celebrating the 4oth anniversary of this historic mission, David will be discussing 1968 in general and the great changes that took place nationally and internationally that year. Lots of material to cover but David is one of the most entertaining and up beat speakers I have ever met. He is a joy for the entire family!

Next on the dockett will be Lauren Alm. Lots has happened since Lauren made her debut on our stage a little over a month ago. Just last Friday Lauren did her first paid gig at an art show in Northville. Most recently Lauren performed for the Insights holiday mixer this past Tuesday. She is getting lots of exposure and people are beginning to take notice.

Please come and join us this Saturday and experience David and Lauren before they become famous, you'll be glad you did.

Again, this week the show will begin at 7:30, not the usual 8pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, bring a can of food and get $5 off----so students "could" be free with a food donation! Thanks for reading along, more later.

Special Thanks Scott Runyon

Now that the dust has settled with our Ecumenical show there is so much to tell you! But before I go any further, I have to say thanks Scott Runyon of The Healing Hands Company. Scott was performing chair massages in the lobby of Country Elementary during the show and donated over $20 towards the cause!

For more information on Scott and what he can do for you, check out www.heaLinghandscompany.com .

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING COOL If you go to this web site, www.letssaythanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second.Thanks for taking to time to support our military!

Open Mic 11/22

Alyson Muir, 15 year old sophomore from Pinckney High School dazzled the crowd this evening. Next time she is booked, make a point to see this local phenom---she is something special. Here is a shot of her performance that night, once again taken by Jon Curtis Photography. For more pictures of Alyson and the other performers at Open Mic, check out Jon's website.

Jon Curtis Photography

Hello, been slacking in my responsibilities so will catch up today on some entries.

One oversight that is LONG overdue is our endorsement of Jon Curtis Photography! Over the past few weeks I feel Jon has not only become a friend but a valuable asset to our company. Giving of his own time, Jon has been coming to Open Mic nights and taking pictures of the performances. So the artists, their family, friends and fans see a professional photographer willing to work with them on one of their most vital marketing tools..."the 8x10 glossy"! The feedback we have received has been incredible!

With our overall goal to help up and coming talent get rolling, Jon's services give us immense credibility and send the message that we are for real. I speak for everyone here at Lamocu Productions when I say we are thankful for having met Jon and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with his firm.

To see more of Jon's work please go to JonCurtisPhotography.com

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! The holiday season is truly upon us now.

Just wanted to drop you all a quick line wishing you a safe and relaxing holiday. Of course, here it is Friday of the holiday week, so maybe I have been too relaxed this week myself.

Anyways, soon I will be reporting on how our Ecumenical Fund Raiser went last Friday and I'll have new pictures from our November 22nd Open Mic night. Until then, be safe and be happy.

From
Everyone here at Lamocu Productions.

Big Week

Hello all,
Well we are in the final stretch for the Ecumenical Fund Raiser this Friday night. Met with the school officials again today to go over logistics. For those of you new to this blog, this Friday evening at Country Elementary on M-36 in Pinckney, we are putting on a concert for the community in conjunction with three local parishes and Gleaners. St. Mary's Catholic Church of Pinckney and Community Congregational are raising money for their youth missions; while Arise Unted Methodist is raising funds for the hurricane survivors of 2008. And as part of admission, we are giving $5 off the ticket price if someone brings in canned goods for Gleaners Food Bank.

Artists performing will be Laura MacKimmie and the bands BoHerald and Raw Deal. All three have performed for us on Open Mic nights at the Insights Group in Brighton and we can say all are quality performers. A great variety of music providing a great night of entertainment for some equally great causes. Pass the word and share the wealth, buying a ticket can be a tax deduction!

Now the following evening, there is an Open Mic night at the Insights Group. This Saturday we are proud to present Ms. Alyson Muir from Pinckney High School and at least one other band also from Pinckney. Alyson was recommended to me by the vocalist teacher at PHS when were looking for someone to sing the National Anthem at our football golf outing back in August. She blew the crowd away with her rendition and gave our outing more of a "football" feel. We have stayed in touch since then are very excited that she will be performing on our stage this weekend. Come see the future and support local music in our area.

Tickets for the Friday night fund raiser are $15, with a $5 discount if you bring in a canned good.

Tickets for Open Mic are $10 adults, $5 for students and again a $5 discount for bringing in a canned good---so students CAN BE FREE with a canned good!!!!

Veterans Day Show

This past Tuesday was very special, performed at the in-service the Brighton Library held for it's workers. The library was closed for Veteran's Day but there was still a lot of activity there.

I was invited to speak and perform at the in-service luncheon. It was a great experience, I hope they enjoyed my presentation as much as I enjoyed them. On the road right now, but when I get stationary again I want to send out some special "thank you's" for this day.

But I'll leave you with this thought, the Brighton Library's staff is a just a great bunch of people to be associated with. If you're not a card carrying member, join. And if you're a business, they're a resource you can't pass up. Stop by and see all the things the library can do for you.

More later, thanks for reading along.

Ecumenical Show 11/21

Well we're heading into the home stretch with the show. We will be finalizing details this week so we have a game plan for next week. If there are problems and concerns, I am not aware of them---yet. So I will be making every effort to contact all involved parties for this event and see that we are all on the same page.

More later, thanks for reading along.

11/8 Open Mic shots

Open Mic 11/8 Results.

Wow! It's all I can say. If there was EVER a doubt that there is young talent in this area, it was removed Saturday night.

Lauren Alm, of Howell (we originally listed her as being from Pinckney) and City Limit brought the house down. There was a second band warming up but they gave one name on their release sheet and another during their recording---so we have to check on some things first. But for Lauren and City Limit it was their first time on stage and you would not know it.

Both Lauren and City Limit had good size followings and that made the evening even more special to them and to us. Having a number of people in the Insights building for the first time brought about discussion of other performers who had been looking for an outlet. Well, we're here and I'm extremely excited about the way this project is growing.

That's all for now, more tomorrow, hopefully with pictures. Thanks for reading along.

Pinckney Talent

As an update to our previous blog about Open Mic night on the 8th, we may have a second band appearing as well. Word is getting out about this project and Zach Reske, drummer for City Limit called and asked if another act could join in the festivities tomorrow night, their name currently unknown.

I told Zach this was fine but, Lauren Alm is scheduled to perform for a good hour starting at approximately 9pm and depending on logistics, this band would have to wait their turn. Zach's band, City Limit is scheduled to begin our show at 8, play until 9 and play again after Lauren's show. So the second band will have to cut into City Limit's second performance, not Lauren's.

It is great to have this situation developing because we all knew the young talent was out there, they just needed to know that we were here for them. And the good news continues because it looks like Allison Muir, another Pinckney High School student, will be performing on our next Open Mic night on the 22nd. Zach's friends have been invited to play their full set on the 22nd if they wish.

That's all for now, I hope to see you all tomorrow night. Remember tickets are just $5 for students and $10 for adults, with $5 off when you bring in a canned good donation for Gleaner's Food Bank.

Please remember our Ecumenical Fund Raiser on the 21st at Country Elementary as well. This event is picking up momentum as we head into these last two weeks. Soon WHMI will be promoting this event on the air. We should also be appearing in the calender of events in the Press/Argus and Community News.

The Ecumenical Fund Raiser is proving to be another example of performers stepping up. Last week Chris Martinez of Boherald called and asked if another band could join them. I gave Chris the same answer I gave Zach above, Laura MacKimmie and Raw Deal are prepared to do complete sets and if Boherald wants to give up some of their set up time/performing time to this other group that would be fine. With flyers and posters already distributed I told Chris we wouldn't be able to promote their friends but if an artist wants to lend their talents for the cause, that's admirable and I wouldn't turn them away.

Ok, thanks for reading along. Again, it's great to know the young talent is out there just as we thought. Hope to see you all tomorrow. Tickets by the way for the Ecumenical show on the 21st are on sale at the following locations: Brighton Tropi Tan, The Insights Group, Schafers House of Music (both locations), Arise United Methodist Church, St. Mary's Catholic Church and the Community Congregational Church of Pinckney.

Open Mic Night 11/8/08, The Insights Group

Lamocu Productions is proud to present this Saturday a group of high school performers just starting out. We feel you will be impressed with the quality of their performances and be glad you saw them before they hit the big time.

Lauren Alm, singer/songwriter from Pinckney High School will be doing her original compositions.

and

City Limit, 3 piece rock band also from Pinckney High School will be jamming the night away.

Lamocu and The Insights Group are very excited about these young performers; it's what we're about helping young people gain that experience and make the next step in their careers. Please join us for this historic night of Open Mic's here at Insights.

Tickets are $10 adults, $5 students and $5 off with a canned good donation to Gleaner's Food Bank. For further information call 810-623-8131 or 810-623-5839.

Open Mic Nights at The Insights Group

Every 2nd and 4th Saturday evening of the month, Lamocu Productions holds an Open Mic Night at the Insights Group in Brighton.



Local acts are encouraged to attend and gain valuable stage experience. For the serious entertainer, our network of professionals offer the tools needed so they can market themselves (photo shoots, audio/video recording, bio writing, press releases, rehearsal space and management). Free consultation is available for each performer to correctly structure their needs and goals.



These Open Mic's are open to musicians, comedians, thespians and even motivational speakers. For the non performer this is a great and affordable evening out while supporting local talent at it's best. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and patrons can save $5 by bringing in a canned good donation for Gleaner's Food Bank.



For information regarding performing, tickets or group rates contact Lamocu Productions at 810-623-8131 or The Insights Group main office at 810-623-5839.

Fund Raising Concert, Nov. 21st, Pinckney, MI

ECUMENICAL FUND RAISER, November 21st, 8-11pm, Country Elementary, Pinckney, MI

Please join us for an evening of entertainment as three local congregations join together to raise funds for various mission work both locally and across our great country.

Community Congregational United Church of Christ and St. Mary's Catholic Church will be raising funds for their Youth Mission work. Arise United Methodist Church will be raising funds for the hurricane victims of 2008 and all three will be raising funds for our local Gleaner's Food Bank.

Acts schedule to perform are: Laura MacKimmie, a folk and blues artist, BoHerald with their rave/techno melodies and Raw Deal doing classic rock covers from the 70's & 80's.

Tickets are $15 and available at The Insights Group, Brighton Tropi Tan, Schafer's House of Music (Brighton and Howell locations) and through the 3 local congregations, Arise Methodist, St. Mary's and Community Congregational.

For more information call Alan Smith of Lamocu Media Svs. at 810-623-8131.