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STREZ' Acoustic Showcase By Scott Baker Steven 'Strez' Strezlecki For over a decade, just a mention of the name Strez anywhere on the Tri-City bar/music scene has brought one person to mind. Master bartender and music entrepreneur Steven 'Strez' Strezlecki has graced the local scene since the early '90s and has done a little bit of everything. From his personality as a server, his over-the-top performances from the stage, and his all around musical knowledge, Strez has decided to wear a different cap as of late. Working with partners Jim Levline and Pat Kuhn, Strez has founded Milk Money Entertainment, an original music promotion machine, dedicated to give a voice and a stage for original performers. "When this got started, the whole thing behind Milk Money Entertainment was that there are a lot of cover bands in the Tri-city areas and they all get work and they all seem to be very successful and I'm happy for them," he states. "But unfortunately there is also a lot of original bands out there and original artists, and they're not getting the recognition (or) the opportunities that these cover bands are getting and I think that's an absolute shame." The plans for Milk Money Entertainment were put into action last spring. "Back in May, my buddy Jim Levline approached me about getting something together," said Strez. "I've been booking bands for years and he figured with his contacts and with my knowledge, we could get something going. So we started putting shows together at the Big House on Wednesdays, doing the electric thing. Then Jeff Yantz and Cary Ewing approached me shortly after that about (booking) a series of (acoustic) concerts at the State Theater in Bay City, to help raise money for their renovations, their day to day operations and what not, you know, help keep the Theater going." "So back in September we started getting the bands (and) putting the shows on and things have just gone from there. Now every Tuesday at the Big House, on the grill side we're doing the acoustic shows and it's working out really well." Bartending for almost 20 years, with the past two being under Johnny and Mary Gottschling at the Big House on Midland St. in Bay City, Strez got his first start in Motown. "I originally started in 1985 in Detroit at a place called The Hungry Brain, bringing in all kinds of bands," he said. "We had The Swans play there, Black Flag played there, all kinds of great bands played there. Not that I personally booked them, but I had a hand in all of it and that just kind of fueled the fire." "Then back in '95, I was working in Lucky's Bar and was putting on all-age matinees on Sunday. Man, I had bands coming from New Jersey, California, just from all over the country. That lasted for about six months. We were putting five or six bands on every Sunday from like 3-9 PM, and that worked out really well, but there was a change in management and things didn't work out." Strez soon found himself out of booking and onto the stage himself. "In the meantime I had gotten involved with a couple of bands. Frank My Uncle's Band and The Druggies. We were touring around the country, putting out records and stuff. After all that came Candy. The bands fell apart. It's hard to get musicians that are dedicated, people that want to stick with something. I figured forget it, I'll just take a break. Then like I say, Jimmy approached me about booking bands and going in on the other side. We formed a little company called Milk Money Entertainment (and) now we're just trying to build from there. He and Pat Kuhn of The Miscreants, the three of us are partners in it and they handle the electric end and I handle the acoustic thing." Not needing much drive, Strez finds the beauty in it within original music and the acoustic ideals. "The music is what drives me. There's some great talent in this area and I'd like to see some of these people go somewhere," he stated. "Some of these guys just aren't motivated to go out and book themselves, so if an opportunity is provided to them, they'll take advantage of it. I think what's happened with the Big House is that there's a place to play. Every week there's something going on, (and) there's always people to check it out. The crowds have been receptive. So it's an opportunity to get exposure and for these artists to get their material out there. Basically, that's my motivator." After the first week started off with a bang at the Big House, Strez relied on a cast of regulars to keep a few crowd favorites in the line-up each week. The State Theater performances lasted through December, on Tuesday each month. "The very first week we had Jim Perkins. Some of the guys that have been there from the very beginning (include) Jeff Yantz from The One Trick Ponies, Cary Ewing, Dusty Bones, Jesse Ballard, Dan Szczepanski, Eric Janetsky, Ray York II, (and) Denny Trouster. All of these people were involved when we were doing the shows at the State Theater (as well) through the fall and early winter. These guys really aren't getting paid a whole lot or anything, especially the State Theater (shows). That was all volunteer (performances). I'd like to say thank you to Radio Therapy for helping out. Those guys took a lot of time to learn those (Christmas show) songs and translate them from piano to acoustic guitar. I think they did a great job." While plans begin this June to organize more possible performances at the State this fall, Strez has put his extra booking effort into hosting a cancer benefit in March. "I don't mind volunteering my time," he said. "Julie Solinski and I are organizing a Relay For Life-American Cancer Society Benefit on Sunday, March 28 at the Big House at 2 p.m. We've got Burnaround, Neverwell, Jeff Yantz and One Trick Ponies, Muddy Gumbo, The Swaggering Rouges, Radio Therapy, Dan Szczepanski, The Hypakritz, Central High School's The Natalie Fight, and Maybe August all confirmed to perform." The Piranha's from Detroit have been invited yet not confirmed, as well as possibly another out of town act." "We've got a slew of entertainment," he continued. "We're going to have a silent auction. We've got a bunch of donors. Charter Communication has promised us a modem and one-years subscription, we've got some really nice packages from local hotels and resorts, beauty spas, we'll be doing the 50/50 raffles and (for) people that don't actually win the 50/50, we're still going to call numbers. We've got assorted other things we can give out as prizes and what not. It's going to be a whole day of fun." Looking ahead to Tuesday Feb. 10, Strez has one of the Big House's biggest line-ups yet. "We've got Jen Cass (rescheduled and doing a full set), Gretchen Toth, Justin, Dusty, Chad Mehl, Eric Janetsky, Ray York II, and Jeff Yantz. Much of the show is a reschedule from the snow cancelled Jan. 27 bill. While the evenings are usually booked a week or two in advance, the Tuesdays have become somewhat of an open-mic event where you'll never know who will show up. Top artists from Ann Arbor's folkie Gil Clark, Bay City's touring folkster Jen Cass, to interest shown from both Larry and Steve McCray, with each doing their own acoustic set, keeps the nights lively. "You never know who is going to walk through the door with a guitar in their hand and as long as I've got a little bit of notice, (even) an hour, we can make room for anybody," says Strez. "For Bay City, to have Larry McCray or Jen Cass walk in and sit down and start playing, I mean that's like Aerosmith walking in their hometown bar and just picking up a guitar and going for it. Usually you're paying big money to go see these bands on a big stage somewhere and here they are sitting down not five feet from you plinking away at a guitar and singing, looking you right in the eye. It's awesome." Strez is also challenging other local bands and musicians to par-down the electrics and give the night a try. "There's a few bands out there that have promised to try something acoustic. Like Killshot--I would love to see those guys try something acoustic. I put the challenge to Born. They're a local band and they generally play (with a) melodic/heavier sound. I got them to do an acoustic thing and it's absolutely incredible. They played the State Theater, brought out a violin player to accompany them and it was just awesome. That's the kind of thing I'd like to see - some of these bands challenge they a little bit. " "I mean you watch MTV, well maybe way back when you could watch MTV when there was music on it, and you'd see something like Alice in Chains do an acoustic thing. And they're not known for acoustic music. Granted their music is fairly melodic, but I'd just like to see some of these bands. Like Burnaround. They've got a bunch of original tunes that could easily be interpreted acoustically as opposed to the heavy electric thing. I'd love to see those guys come down. We've got room for everybody." "I'm getting older," he said laughing. "I like heavy music, but I like heavy music from way back when--from the '80s and stuff--the stuff that I know that I grew up on. I don't get this new music that's out. So I'm happy where I'm at with the acoustic thing." Strez has a fondness for original acoustic instrumentals and singles out York II as the top in his field. "Ray's strictly (instrumental). He doesn't do the vocalization thing. But what he does do is incredible. His guitar work and (when) he brings his bouzouki along I could sit and listen to Ray all day. No matter how many times I've heard him play or may have heard the same song or whatever, I could sit and listen. His music is so soothing." With newcomers like bluesman Chad Mehl and the Tom Waits/Captian Beefheart voicing of Josh Jekel just starting to turn things up a notch, Strez hopes to get the word out nationwide that he is on an original acoustic talent search. But first he hopes to build up the local support. "I've got my core of performers and that's awesome," he stated. "I can count on them and their material is consistent and that's great. Everybody's chomping at the bit to perform. But unfortunately I've only got 12 people. (Acoustic night has) been going since September. I've got flyers up everywhere, I've contacted all kinds of people and I thought for sure that there's got to be more than 12 people in the Tri-city area that are doing their own acoustic thing with their own music. I refuse to believe that these are the only people around that are doing it. I need more people." Hopefully with this fresh exposure shed upon his endeavors, Strez will witness his dream materialize more fully.
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