Fantastic Music. Live Art. Worthy Charities.
And Serendipitous Moments.
December 20th - Home For The Holidays
Chizzy CAM and the holiday festivities wrapped up Tuesday night at UDetroit Cafe in Detroit with Detroit's Diva Eliza Neals. Eliza, who home for the holidays, came to sing some songs from her new, upcoming CD, messin with a fool, and also joined in with Danny D & the Vagabonds on a couple tunes too. Setting the rockin' stage for the holidays—The Vintage raised the roof off the joint. Also having come home for the holidays—Justina Lee Black w/ Benny Caruso joined the festivities. Mural artist Dan Cascardo was our spotlight artist who created a mini mural and engaged the audience into co-creating it with him. Happy Holidays!
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December 13th - Think More Than Pink
Through the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, awareness and funds will be raised to assist in support for cancer patients. The team, The Rockers, is a group of relayers that are affected by different types of cancer, from breast to uterine, to ovarian, to brain, to skin.
Joining the show to help on this quest were multiple local rockers included The Redneck Saints, Hard Drive, Snesei and a Doors cover with Chizzy on lead vocals. The spotlight artist was yours truly John Gnotek.
PHOTOS | VIDEO 1 | 2 | POSTER
December 6th - A Very Chizzy CAM Christmas Show
On this night was Chizzy CAM's Christmas Show in which we unwrapped and welcomed our "house band" Danny D & The Vagabonds to the show. We brought attention and support to CDC's Christmas Store.
Musical guests included a return of Justin Alexander, and introducing Alicia Michilli. Our spotlight artist was Gmo of the Gmo Show and his lovely accompaniant Rose.
On this show we also inugarated our new format: two hours Chizzy CAM—Charity+Arts+Music—and in the last hour the Chizzy CAM Aftermix: a mix of new music, unheard music, little heard music and live emerging talent.
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Nov 29th - An Acoustic Evening at Chizzy CAM for the Benefit of Rock4Tots
On this show we brought awareness to the 4th Annual Rock4Tots benefitting the Clinton Township Goodfellows. "No Child Without A Christmas." Our show ended up being a sampler of musical artists of the Rock4Tots event for following Sunday, Dec. 4th at Pub 1281 in Clinton Township.
Raffles, auctions and over 40 acoustic acts, including of a couple of tonight's guests. Donate an unwrapped toy or $5 for admission.
Musical guests included Greg Hanson, Tosha Owens, Bobby Black, Shelley Miller, Justin Alexander, John Le Sage, and Chad Earley. Our spotlight artist Tamera Menard plein air painted on stage all through the performances, including a great painting of the Cafe from the stage. Street caricature artist Illy Mac was in the house—and by default now is designated the Chizzy CAM "house artist."
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Nov 22nd - A Chizzy CAM CommuniD BBQ
Mike Schmitt was our guest. Several years ago and others started Saturday afternoon barbeques in the Cass Corridor at Second and Selden in Detroit. And through Elevate Detroit, they've done it every Saturday since, rain or shine, snow and cold. And he's expanded this effort to Mt. Clemens, Flint, Pontiac and to another location in Detroit. Unfortunately our planned CommuniD BBQ at uDetroit Cafe got rained out—the ONLY thing that cancels a CommuniD BBQ—pouring rain.
Brother Al also joined us to talk about his bicycle cart ministry—Canticle Cafe. Brother Al, a Franciscan friar from St. Aloysius in Detroit delivers sandwiches, prepared at UDetroit Cafe, to the hungry and homeless around the area via a bicycle cart, actually now four bicycle carts, serving up o 800 meals a day to the homeless and hungry throughout the downtown area.
Musical guests included Tony Forman & Kelly,Brandon Gillihan, and John "T-Bone" Paxton. Street caricature artist Illy Mac was in the house.
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Nov 15th - Let's Be Thankful for What is Rad: An Art, Music and Fashion Event
Gwen Joy coordinated Chizzy CAM's first fashion event. Guests included Jacx Schanes, fashionist, musician and painter; Sarah Lapinski, designer at WOUND Menswear, boss lady at Motor City Sewing & Design, and adjunct professor at College for Creative Studies; Justin Smith, fashion designer from Haus of Delphi; poet/ publisher/ activist/ rock star/ playwright and actor Jessica Care Moore; artist Elise Mesner; and artist, model, fashion coordinator, moralist puppeteer Gwen Joy.
Musical guest included Animal Sheets and the music of Jacx Schanes along with her performance art.
Donations and all proceeds go to the Humane Society of Michigan.
PHOTOS: 1 | VIDEO: 1 | POSTER: 1
Nov 8th - The White Shag Drum Off
Our audience and special guests heped the band White Shag choose their next drummer! It was the Final Four: Lee Majors, Nick Mues, Spencer Hirsch, and out of the audience, Johnny Rotten all gave outstanding cut audition performances. Special guest musicians, Evan Hakim and Michael Carpenter Jr. of The Fake Take joined to weigh in, and then later performed with Laura and Jorge of White Shag.
Proceeds designated to serve Breast Cancer Awareness and a special woman battling breast cancer.
BTW, the winner and new White Shag drummer... (drum roll)... long time Detroit musician, original Howling Diablo member—Spencer Hirsch.
PHOTOS: 1 | VIDEO: 1 | POSTER: 1
Nov 1st - Life Remodeled: One person at a time. One family at a time.
One community at a time.
Build a new house for a needy family? In six days?! For free?!! Yep! Ekklesia Detroit of Westland did just that. And, will do it twelve times next year. And planning on doing it 56 times the year after with their Life Remodeled projects, fixing broken families and galvanizing communities in the process. Chris Lambert, pastor at Ekklesia joined us to tell all about this fantastic endeavor. Ekklesia is but one of several emerging churches in Metro Detroit who are reaching out to really help individuals, restore families and transform communities. Mike Harris, pastor of The Journey in Holly; Scott Crownover, pastor of the greenroom in Ann Arbor; and introducing Mike Schmitt, founder of Elevate Detroit CommuniD BBQs joined us as well to share the things they are likewise doing to serve the peoples of Metro Detroit.
Musical guests included Erica McManus, Bobby Black, Darryl Lee, and Danny D.
PHOTOS: 1 | VIDEO: 1 | POSTER: 1
Oct 25th - Boo uDetroit: Halloween Party
A merry masquarade this twilight evening. Wolfman Mac of Wolfman Mac's Chiller Drive-In joined us and judged the costume contest with prizes from uDetroit Cafe, Erebus Haunted House, and from Chizzy CAM.
Musical guests included White Shag, Two Tone Tobacco, and Detroit's only Alice Cooper, of the tribute The Nightmare.
PHOTOS: 1 | VIDEO: 1 | POSTER: 1
Oct 18, 2011 - Tribute Night
For benefit to the Tourette Syndrome Association of Michigan, we staged a tribute show featuring "Rod Stewart," "Stevie Nicks," and "Alice Cooper." The Motor City Rah-Rahs joined in the revelry. Highlight of the night was when Queen Bee Karen Neal danced while Chizzy the Artist painted her layers of clothing. With the help of Alice the clothing was removed and auctioned. A riotious, slip slidin' good time was had by all.
Musical guests included Danny D (Rod Stewart), Cara Lundgren (Stevie Nicks), and John Klenn (Alice Cooper) of The Nightmare.
PHOTOS: 1 | VIDEO: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | POSTER: 1
Oct 11, 2011 - Vietnam Vets: Issues Real and Perceived
This week, Chizzy CAM was The Voice on the Street where we examined some issues such as homelessness and care among Vietnam vets. We learned some issues are real indeed and need to be addressed, and some are perceived issues where real resources do indeed exist.
Musical guests included Crooked Joint, Justina Fazzolari Black, and Widetrack with their blow-your-face-out rendition of Pink Floyd's Welcome To The Machine. A return of Tosha Owens and Bobby Black capped the evening.
PHOTOS: 1 | VIDEO: 1 | POSTER: 1
Oct 4, 2011 - Benefit, Live Painting and Auction
This show was to raise funds to offset medical expenses for a seven-year girl with 4th-stage non-Hodgkins T-cell lymphoma. Chizzy the Artist painted artist/model Gwen Joy live on stage (her clothes) and we auctioned the clothes right off her body to raise over $200 for this young girl.
Musical guests included a return of Chris Brantley, the return of Dave Hamilton, and Mike Vial & The Great Lakes Effect. We had a last second musical cancellation, but the beautiful and generous Justina Fazzolari Black—right off an airplane— seamlessly and wonderfully filled in.
PHOTOS: 1 | VIDEO: 1, 2 | POSTER: 1
Sept 27, 2011 - Welcome to Chizzy CAM
Our inaugural show launched wonderfully with great guests and raised funds for a 12-year old boy with leukemia.
Musical guests included TwentyForSeven, Chris Brantley, Tosha Owens with Bobby Black, Trey Simon, and Tosha Owens with Dave Hamilton.
PHOTOS: 1 | VIDEO: 1
