All poets and poetry lovers are welcome in this inclusive open mic that happens the second Tuesday of every month. Bring your words, stop by to get inspired, or just listen. All people and styles of poetry are welcome.
Composer, producer, and musician, Alysha Brilla, is a 3x nominee of Canada’s JUNO Awards. In 2013 she became one of the first self-produced female artists in history to receive a JUNO nomination. All of Alysha’s recent music has been released through her own label, Sunny Jam Records. As the child of Indo-Tanzanian descent, her music is a colorful tapestry woven with themes of re-connection to ourselves, each other, and the earth. At the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards she was nominated for her original score of the feature film “The Queen of My Dreams”.
Alysha Brilla opens our eighth series of Levitt AMP Stevens Point. The Levitt AMP Stevens Point Music Series is a CREATE Experience supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a private foundation that empowers towns and cities across America to transform underused public spaces into thriving destinations through the power of free, live music. Learn more at concerts.levittamp.org.
Levitt is also supported by local sponsors: the City of Stevens Point, NRG Media, Cobblestone Hotel Stevens Point, Festival Foods, Prevail Bank, and Simplicity Credit Union.
Join us for the series launch with the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin and learn more about the Arts & Culture Mission Fund!
Roberta Lea is a singer/songwriter, producer and artist that decided to take a chance on her dream. During the pandemic she decided to pursue music full time. She was featured in Nashville Scene’s Country Music Almanac 2022’s “Artists to Watch” not even a year after she went after that dream. Roberta was nominated six times for Virginia’s Veer Music Awards and won song of the year for her single “Sweet Baby Ray”. She also joined the Black Opry, an organization dedicated to creating safe spaces and support for black artists and fans of country music, and toured with other artists in what is now known as the Black Opry Revue.
Roberta Lea is part of our eighth series of Levitt AMP Stevens Point. The Levitt AMP Stevens Point Music Series is a CREATE Experience supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a private foundation that empowers towns and cities across America to transform underused public spaces into thriving destinations through the power of free, live music. Learn more at concerts.levittamp.org.
Levitt is also supported by local sponsors: the City of Stevens Point, NRG Media, Cobblestone Hotel Stevens Point, Festival Foods, Prevail Bank, and Simplicity Credit Union.
Jamie Jacobsen, also known as Tedious and Brief, is an alternative indie/pop musician based out of Chicago. Her debut single “Papercuts” was her first release as Tedious and Brief. She took up playing guitar and songwriting at a young age and has strong family ties to music. She identifies her earliest influences as, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie Ray, and Muddy Waters. Since then her music style has strayed away from a more nostalgic rock vibe to a style featuring elements of airy synth and smooth vocals.
Tedious and Brief is part of our eighth series of Levitt AMP Stevens Point. The Levitt AMP Stevens Point Music Series is a CREATE Experience supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a private foundation that empowers towns and cities across America to transform underused public spaces into thriving destinations through the power of free, live music. Learn more at concerts.levittamp.org.
Levitt is also supported by local sponsors: the City of Stevens Point, NRG Media, Cobblestone Hotel Stevens Point, Festival Foods, Prevail Bank, and Simplicity Credit Union.
A special thank you to this week’s concert sponsor Skyward
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement.
As we continue to strive to ensure Stevens Point is a great place to live, we are making diversity and inclusion of all types a priority. We invite you to join us for our 4th Annual community Juneteenth celebration. This is a free, family friendly event, open to the entire Stevens Point and surround community.
Register here to participate as a vendor, community information table, open mic performer. Preference will be given to Black and BIPOC businesses and vendors. If you have questions, please reach out to danas@createportagecounty.org.
Formed by Ed Williams and his brother James “Pookie” Young, Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials is a world renowned Chicago blues band that has been together for almost 30 years. Ed and Pookie grew up surrounded by music. Their uncle, famous blues guitarist J.B. Hutto, taught them everything they know. The band consists of bassist, Pookie Young; guitarist, Mike Garrett; drummer, Kelly Littleton; and of course Lil’ Ed himself. Lil’ Ed shows have become legendary to blues fans around the world. The band is known for their spontaneous, unpredictable, and downright entertaining performances. Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials has won 5 awards during it’s time in the spotlight. The band has won three Living Blues Award for Best Live Performer and two Blues Music Award for Band of the Year.
Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials is part of our eighth series of Levitt AMP Stevens Point. The Levitt AMP Stevens Point Music Series is a CREATE Experience supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a private foundation that empowers towns and cities across America to transform underused public spaces into thriving destinations through the power of free, live music. Learn more at concerts.levittamp.org.
Levitt is also supported by local sponsors: the City of Stevens Point, NRG Media, Cobblestone Hotel Stevens Point, Festival Foods, Prevail Bank, and Simplicity Credit Union.
A special thank you to this week’s concert sponsor Point Brewery!
After living in Los Angeles for eight years, Emmitt James returns back to the city that loved him first — Milwaukee. From the DIY circuit to playing bigger stages like the Roxy and the Novo, Emmitt is a well celebrated and experienced performer. The Midwest bred emcee and now LA based hip-hop artist has been said to be reminiscent of acts like A Tribe Called Quest, Anderson. Paak and The Internet.
Emmitt James is part of our eighth series of Levitt AMP Stevens Point. The Levitt AMP Stevens Point Music Series is a CREATE Experience supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a private foundation that empowers towns and cities across America to transform underused public spaces into thriving destinations through the power of free, live music. Learn more at concerts.levittamp.org.
Levitt is also supported by local sponsors: the City of Stevens Point, NRG Media, Cobblestone Hotel Stevens Point, Festival Foods, Prevail Bank, and Simplicity Credit Union.
Originally from Odesa, Ukraine, Kommuna Lux is a Ukrainian folk band that labels their music style as “Odesa gangsta folk”. The band originally started with performing in restaurants in Ukraine, but over the past couple years they have moved from performing in restaurants to performing on main stages. In 2022, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the band held more than 70 charity concerts in support of their home. The next year they held 46 more. The music style of Kommuna Lux is a mix of Jewish folk music, Balkan rythms, and street bandit folklore. The band consists of an accordion player, guitarist, drummer, trombone and trumpet players, a clarinet player and a vocalist. Kommuna Lux also writes their own newspaper, the thought process behind creating one was that most of the music the band plays was created when people used newspaper as their main sourced of information.
Kommuna Lux is part of our eighth series of Levitt AMP Stevens Point. The Levitt AMP Stevens Point Music Series is a CREATE Experience supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a private foundation that empowers towns and cities across America to transform underused public spaces into thriving destinations through the power of free, live music. Learn more at concerts.levittamp.org.
Levitt is also supported by local sponsors: the City of Stevens Point, NRG Media, Cobblestone Hotel Stevens Point, Festival Foods, Prevail Bank, and Simplicity Credit Union.
Special thanks to this week’s concert sponsor Connexus Credit Union!
The New Mexican string band, Lone Piñon, features a wide range of traditional music. La Onda Chicana, western swing, and country are just a few. The band, which was formed in 2014, uses music to celebrate the integrity and diversity of their cultural roots. The musicians the band is comprised of learned what they know from elder musicians in their community. Fiddles, guitars, accordions, and vihuela are just some of the instruments played to explore the rich musical heritage of Lone Piñon’s hometown region.
Lone Piñon is part of our eighth series of Levitt AMP Stevens Point. The Levitt AMP Stevens Point Music Series is a CREATE Experience supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a private foundation that empowers towns and cities across America to transform underused public spaces into thriving destinations through the power of free, live music. Learn more at concerts.levittamp.org.
Levitt is also supported by local sponsors: the City of Stevens Point, NRG Media, Cobblestone Hotel Stevens Point, Festival Foods, Prevail Bank, and Simplicity Credit Union.
Leon Timbo’s music explains the undiscussed and misunderstood parts of life, love, and God. Born in the south, Leon’s father was a pastor so he grew up surrounded by faith and spiritual culture. He began singing at 16 and at 20 decided to use the acoustic guitar to further his expression with music. Although his first album did poor in sales, Leon did his own marketing and promoting and ended up playing over 150 shows per year. Eventually Leon signed a label with Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, who is known for working with many famous artists such as Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion and more.
Leon Timbo is part of our eighth series of Levitt AMP Stevens Point. The Levitt AMP Stevens Point Music Series is a CREATE Experience supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a private foundation that empowers towns and cities across America to transform underused public spaces into thriving destinations through the power of free, live music. Learn more at concerts.levittamp.org.
Levitt is also supported by local sponsors: the City of Stevens Point, NRG Media, Cobblestone Hotel Stevens Point, Festival Foods, Prevail Bank, and Simplicity Credit Union.
Bassel and the Supernaturals tells the story of Bassel Almadani’s experiences as a first generation Syrian-American. His music combines soulful melodies, funk inspired rhythms, and captivating lyrics to tell stories about love, loss, and the war in Syria. A substantial amount of the band’s proceeds goes towards supporting the Karam Foundation, a non-profit organization that is focused on building a better future for Syria. In May 2024 Bassel and the Supernaturals made their television debut on PBS in a docuseries, The Express Way, regarding the transformative power of the arts.
Sunny War is part of our seventh series of Levitt AMP Stevens Point. The Levitt AMP Stevens Point Music Series is a CREATE Experience supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a private foundation that empowers towns and cities across America to transform underused public spaces into thriving destinations through the power of free, live music. Learn more at concerts.levittamp.org.
Levitt is also supported by local sponsors: the City of Stevens Point, NRG Media, Cobblestone Hotel Stevens Point, Festival Foods, Prevail Bank, and Simplicity Credit Union.
Our special guest this week, kicking off their annual fundraiser, is the United Way!
Co-headling this week is NewSONG is an emerging Hmong singer-songwriter from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her mission is to promote body positivity, fuse her cultural music with modern day tunes, and showcase her talents as an up and coming musician. On February 1st of this year she released her newest song LOVE LOVE.
Michelle Elle is a music enthusiast, songwriter, and singer from Wisconsin. Her passion for music began at an early age — she was always listening to Hmong music, top hits on the radio, and anything that had a catchy tune. Michelle has enjoyed song writing since her teenage years, but it wasn't until 2022 that she'd embark on a musical journey and release her first single, "Tseem Tsis Tau Lig".
This special night of HMoob music is part of our eighth series of Levitt AMP Stevens Point. The Levitt AMP Stevens Point Music Series is a CREATE Experience supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a private foundation that empowers towns and cities across America to transform underused public spaces into thriving destinations through the power of free, live music. Learn more at concerts.levittamp.org.
Levitt is also supported by local sponsors: the City of Stevens Point, NRG Media, Cobblestone Hotel Stevens Point, Festival Foods, Prevail Bank, and Simplicity Credit Union.
Chris Pierce was recently handpicked to be the special guest opener for the NEIL YOUNG Coastal Tour. He recently gained additional worldwide prominence with “We Can Always Come Back to This”. His hit song aired on 3 episodes of the #1 NBC primetime series ‘THIS IS US,' then went on to #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. Pierce has also done worldwide headlining tours and has performed with: Neil Young, B.B. King, Seal, Al Green, Steve Earle, Allison Russell, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Rodrigo y Gabriella, Jill Scott, Keb’Mo, Blind Boys of Alabama, Aaron Neville & others.
At a young age, Pierce developed a rare hearing disorder called Otosclerosis that led to the loss of hearing in one ear and partial deafness in the other, a setback that would deter many young musicians forever. The reality, however, fueled Chris’ passion and determination all the more, forcing him to re-learn almost everything he had known prior to his condition. To Chris, music was, and still is, an unconditional companion.
Chris Pierce is part of our eighth series of Levitt AMP Stevens Point. The Levitt AMP Stevens Point Music Series is a CREATE Experience supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, a private foundation that empowers towns and cities across America to transform underused public spaces into thriving destinations through the power of free, live music. Learn more at concerts.levittamp.org.
Levitt is also supported by local sponsors: the City of Stevens Point, NRG Media, Cobblestone Hotel Stevens Point, Festival Foods, Prevail Bank, and Simplicity Credit Union.