The first time I heard Pato Margetic was at the Acoustiq Musique show at The Music Hall Jazz Cafe at the end of last year. Needless to say I was taken aback because I was unaware of his music and when I found out he is a Detroit native it was icing on the cake! His performance had everyone caught up in every stroke of his acoustic guitar as his eyes pierced the audience and his lyrics penetrated our souls! Pato has been releasing great music to the world since 2009 with his debut album Day By Day followed by the sophomore release of Detroit Soul in 2011. Pato is now on his third release and has released singles since the end of last year. His latest, “Fall Apart” has an accompanied video that we at Distinguished Detroit got a sneak preview of (because he thinks we’re cool). Below is the video so enjoy and please, please, please, support Detroit music!
You walk in the door and the aroma of pancakes immediately welcomes you in. As your feet peddle across the hardwood floors your eyes are dancing along the artwork surrounding the four walls which you stand in. The atmosphere is laid back and full of hospitality as folks are lined up to get their pancake fixins and wash them down with a mimosa. The DJ is spinning hip hop records sure to make your body move and you will constantly hear laughter and hand-slaps as homies greet each other.
Nothing about this spot makes you feel like a stranger but indeed like you are at home- it is in a loft. The kitchen is full of lovely ladies sweating over a stove, delivering pancake-after-pancake with a smile. No one is dissatisfied with their plate, what’s in their cup or too shy to get in each other’s personal space.
You can’t help but feel a connection with someone at The Untitled Bottega- the home of Mixtapes And Pancakes.
You are immediately introduced to the pancake aspect of the night but what about the mixtapes? A common ground for a lot of folks who step foot into The Untitled Bottega is their independent artistry. The support system behind allowing a platform for these artists to shine is what the city needs. A breath of fresh air to promoting raw and upcoming talent and emerging creative ambassadors of Detroit.
I happened to be in the cut chowing down on a pancake laced with strawberries & whip so I didn’t get a chance to make my way to the forefront and see the acts in center stage. Although I regret not posting up soon enough to get the artists in action I was able to find a video on YouTube of the one of which I was in attendance (which you can watch below). The artwork is courtesy of a Detroit artist by the name of Flaco Shalom who is also the host of the event. You don’t want to miss the next Mixtapes And Pancakes. I promise you will regret not being in attendance at 126 Iron St. for the next one!
Once again the Manila Bay Cafe was full of Detroit Music energy as folks from different walks of life came through to share their gifts. The spot was packed and there were a lot of supporters for the feature artist, Dr Selah (@Dr_SelahE), an awesome poet who had the audience drawn into the sweet words of truth that came from her soul. One of her poems was so raw that I asked her to place it on a plaque so I could bronze it and give it to someone for Christmas- she is just that awesome!
There were quite a few folks who weren’t being stingy with their talents that evening, such as RenCenCoolBeanz, who had the audience yelling his lyrics back at him with excitement. Then there was a young lady by the name of Kezia who had an altar laid before her full of purses and instruments as a result of her powerful vocal ability. Katrina Storm- a powerhouse vocalist and energetic host of an open mic event at They Say Restaurant- tore down the walls and almost took us to church. Then there was Comedian C.P., in his truest form, crackin’ jokes on the comedian on-stage before him then grabbing the mic and killing it. And the electrifying band who came down to visit us earthlings for a moment O.T.I.S. (Out There In Space) had everyone up on their feet, partying the night to a close.
I only gave a brief summary of the acts who graced the stage but I have a picture show below for you to see everyone who came through. I didn’t catch everyone’s name and may even forgot to mention some folks but please do not charge it to my heart. Detroit is thriving with a lot of burgeoning talent and it is virtually impossible to catch everyone’s names but the “artists” who want to be known will keep showing up, singing, dancing, reciting poetry, telling jokes, rapping, etc to be recognized in the long run.
Image via Wikipedia
Live music moves me. Almost to a point of tears. When the waterworks flow then that means I’ve transcended beyond just hearing a song or a lyric but I’ve transitioned into conjoining God’s audible gift with my soul. I allow it to infuse my innermost parts and sooth everything that was burned in the raging fire of life’s woes. But to conjoin a message beyond the music moves me to a greater depth and changes my outlook in that moment of my life. Oprah calls moments like these “Aha!” moments. I don’t define them but they are rare and I am truly grateful when I am around to experience them.
I had an experience like this at the L’Renee Benefit Concert that was held this past Friday at The Charles H. Wright Museum. As if the opening acts of L.G., Elle, Gwenation and the wonderfully orchestrated (and professional, I might add) acts of L’Renee and company weren’t enough, the message she left us with at the end of the show was the bow on the gift of being “present” for the evening.
As L’Renee came out adorned in a white dress singing one of my favorite Michael Jackson hits, “I Can’t Help It”, there was a video playing onstage in the background which she later identified to us as a short film entitled “The Red Balloon” (originally Le Ballon Rouge, shot in Paris and written & directed by Albert Lamorisse, 1956). There was little-to-no dialogue in the film and it mainly portrayed a young boy being followed by one simple red balloon. Once he saw that it wasn’t going to let him be, he became passionate about the balloon and took it everywhere with him. He and the red balloon were inseparable until a group of jealous kids chased him down and stomped the balloon flat. But the film ends with balloons flying from all over Paris and overtaking the little boy until they lift him high and sail him over the entire city.
L’Renee tells the audience that her Red Balloon is music and that no matter what naysayers try to do to take it from her, she won’t stop thinking about her passion and knows that it will eventually sail her higher than anyone trying to stomp out her dreams. Then she posed a question to us- “what is your red balloon?” And that’s when the love swallowed me whole and I had to make a decision to face my fear and practice self-integrity regarding my own red balloon.
What have I allowed folks to stomp out of my life because they were jealous or because I felt unworthy? What balloon aka life mission am I trying to avoid but it continues to follow me around everyday, not ready to leave me or give up hope that I just may grasp onto it? I was taken aback because I did not expect to be overwhelmed with such life-changing emotion in my seat in the middle section of the second row. But at that moment, I knew my position in that seat went far beyond being a Distinguished Detroit spectator for the site, but it was a divine appointment to make significant changes in my life to align with the will of the Universe.
At the end of her creative plea of self-love, L’Renee asked for us to share with her what our “red balloons” were on sheets of paper and promised she would place them in a wishing well and think about each and every person who submitted. Then the show was over. But the message still lingers and prompted this post.
The message of doing what you were created to do is needed. We live in a microwave, cookie-cutter society that wants everything fast and identical. Originality and ingenuity is frowned upon while commercialism is mass-produced to meet the capitalist market values. But it is time to take back our own identities and be of service to others by staying in our lanes. When you spend more time working on building up yourself, you have less time to tear down others. When you do what you feel in your heart is right as opposed to doing what everyone else wants you to do, that is giving. You are of service when you act out your will and of disservice when you act out someone else’s or mimic what isn’t meant to be yours. And if they stomp out your balloon, keep your heart set on a flock of new ones to sail you to greater heights that you never imagined you could go!
Be the love you were made from. Be of service to yourself and people. Be original. Be Distinguished.
Much love!
LiLi
P.S.- My Red Balloon is writing and music! 
P.S.S.- If you want to share what you Red Balloon is and join L’Renee’s Mailing List click here
Oct 12
This gallery contains 10 photos.
Every Tuesday evening The Foundation and 5E Gallery host an open mic jam that everybody residing in, near and around the city should experience. Yesterday, Distinguished Detroit paparazzi was in the building and got to rock out with the baddest Hip Hop artists in the city! The special occasion for the evening was artist RenCen CoolBeanz […]
A battle of the sexes in the form of an anonymous question & answer setting. You walk in and admire the vendors tables as you are serenaded by smooth grooves from the DJ booth. The setting is intimate and very much “grown and sexy” and there is a bar as well as food options available. Every table is stacked with pens and small sheets of paper for participants to jot down questions for the opposite sex to answer. No question is off-limits and no topic is taboo- everyone is encouraged to “keep it real”.
Not only was I able to experience the unique atmosphere I was also pleased to see Mr. Chase from WJLB hosting. The hilariously animated comedian Mike Bonner hosted the Q & A session as well as “The Dating Game” segments with a bachelor and bachelorette to choose their date from three contestants. But the “Distinguished Delectable” was hearing the smooth vocals of Kendrick and L.Renee set the tone for an evening of creativity, laughs and good old-fashioned entertainment.
Below is a video of L.Renee in action, singing an original song entitled, “Reflections”. Enjoy!
Founder and Chief Media Manager for DeLane Media Group, a Creative Media Management Firm. Founder and Editor-In-Chief for DistinguishedDetroit.com, an Entertainment Blog for the Metro-Detroiter. Freelance Writer. Background Vocalist & Songwriter. Detroit Socialite and lover of all things fun!
