Rocktagon

June 15, 2008

Shakespeare said, “If music be the food of love, play on.”
In Traverse City, the love (and the music) is flowing for an area writer currently battling an advanced case of Lyme Disease.
Lori Hall Steele was diagnosed in April, explaining months of mysterious symptoms which included debilitating paralysis. On Sunday, June 22 at 5 p.m., a bevy of local musicians will gather at Union Street Station in TC to present “The Rocktagon,” a benefit to help offset Steele’s mounting medical bills.
“Our whole family is very musical and it just made sense to center an event around music,” said her brother, Timothy Hall, a local musician and filmmaker who organized the event. “Northern Michigan is home to some spectacular musicians who have generously donated their time to help out my sister. Calling it the Rocktagon came from the idea that as musicians and artists, we infuse an energy, and momentum our art as a voice, a response to this difficult situation, sort of a smudging. I’ve heard that in any life event, you have the choice to be a victim... or an adversary. Music is our weapon of choice, The Rocktagon is our field.”
Because of the expense involved with daily antibiotic treatments, as well as long-term need for care, the benefit aims to help defray some of those costs and give peace-of-mind to Hall-Steele.

Featured musicians include:

Fairchild: featuring Tim Callaghan: lead vocals and guitar; Pete Birchler: lead guitar; Danny Runey, bass; and Mike Dunbar: drums. The group is viewed as one of the best rock acts in Northern Michigan. The androgynous glam-drama-rock will be performing selections from their new release plastique.

Dead Meat: a local political punk band that “sounds like Kafka riding an insane horse in a nitroglycerine factory with a crate full of molotov cocktails.” This will be the band’s first performance in two years with Skylar Hobbs: lead vocals; Timothy Hall: bass; Gabe Clark: drums; and Ben Ladd: lead guitar.

The Deadly Sins: Straightforward “all-meat, no-filler” garage punk. Featuring local music scenester Mark Camp on vocals and guitars; Kevin Gills: bass; Jim Hicks: drums. They will bring a collection of new tunes to the Rocktagon. Deadly Sins are planning to record a full length CD mid-summer.

Mue Sephei formed in 2005 and
played as a duet in Europe. Their
alternative sound groups the experimentalism of Mike Parrish and Rob Piotrowski with the acoustic influence of Diane and Noemie Derib, joined by Sean Morris on the bass.

Jeff Gibbs, composer of the original music and a producer for “Bowling for Columbine,” “Fahrenheit 9/11” and other films.

Daisycutter, featuring Tim Hall and Breanne Russell. Called “anything but ordinary,” the band will perform several selections similar to Tricky and Massive Attack.

A $10 donation will be accepted at the door. The event will include silent auction items and drink specials. To donate items for the auction or volunteer, call Hall @231-360-5803