Jen Lorenski
Moshpit Nation by A.J. Meathooks
has been a raging success so far and the best is yet to come. Jen’s ambition seems to be nowhere near peaking, in fact this appears to be just the beginning. On one front, M.P.N. is establishing a strong presence in the Detroit scene getting involved with shows and bands all over the area and has launched a M.P.N. face book page for east Michigan where Detroit metal heads can stay up to date on what is going on in this area as well as other parts of the state. And someone must be paying attention because MICHIGAN METAL UNITES! now M.P.N. is working together with Live Nation for shows at St. Andrew’s hall, the Shelter and Local metal is not dead! In fact, it is alive and the Fillmore Detroit. Not too shabby for a grasskicking right here in Michigan. This is more roots, word of mouth movement started only than just a metro Detroit area trend, it’s a state three years ago all the way on the other side wide phenomenon. As anyone who has been of the state. Other ambitious undertakings in involved in the Detroit metal scene knows, the works for M.P.N. in 2013 are two three day it has traditionally been a cut-throat, every outdoor festivals featuring metal bands from band for themselves kind of atmosphere. across the state. The first of which called the However, there is change on the horizon. As Heavy Rock & Metal festival will take place of late, there has been a lot more unity and June 28th through the 30th and the second event cooperation among bands in the area. This is dubbed the Mosh Pit Boot Camp festival runs in sync with a state wide trend that is being from September 13th through the 15th. Both driven by a grass-roots organization called of these festivals will take place at Morland’s Mosh Pit Nation and it’s founder and chief Moto-cross track in Stanton Michigan. For head banger, Jen Lorenski. She has begun a those of you who were lucky enough to attend movement connecting metal heads, musicians one of the Carnival of Chaos festivals that and venues from every region of the state and were held there, you know as well as I do that this movement is growing fast! This is exactly these two festivals have the potential to create what the metal scene in this state needs. In some of the most memorable metal moments order to put an end to the abuse suffered by of 2013! The line up for these festivals is yet bands at the hands of greedy promoters and to be announced but there are slots available, sleazy club owners and to ensure that bands so if you are interested in getting involved be are given opportunities based on talent and sure to contact MoshPitNation.com for details hard work as opposed to strictly how many about these shows as well as countless others tickets they can sell, the whole scene has to throughout the state. function as one. This is exactly what Jen and M.P.N. are accomplishing little by little and city Another interesting aspect of the M.PN. by city. phenomenon is the strong presence of women getting involved. It’s common knowledge that It started one week-end in 2011 when self the metal scene has been dominated by males proclaimed “metal junkie” Jen was trying to and the dude to chick ratio at shows has always find a metal show to go to in her area (Grand been extremely unbalanced. But according Rapids). After spending a frustrating hour of to Jen this is a new era. She says “there are her life scanning band site after band site to lots of women involved. Really strong, smart see what was going on, the idea hit her. “It was metal chicks who are organized and running hard to find out what was going on around G.R., especially for local shows but even for nationals” says Jen. “You had to be friends with the bands or know the clubs. Since I know how to build a website I just started putting all the shows in one place, MoshPitNation. com and telling everyone about it so people could come to more shows”. What started THE SOCIAL BANDITS as a simple web site focusing on the local metal scene in the Grand Rapids area ran by one person has grown to multiple sites with a much broader scope spanning from the west side of the state to the metro Detroit area as well as reaching upwards to the flint area and even further north from there. “ it has become more than I ever thought it could be” says Jen. This rapid expansion will undoubtedly continue as the Mosh Pit Nation army grows. The movement seems to be self sustaining due in part to the fact that the focus is not just centered around the bands but is equally as focused around the fans and venues without which the bands would have nowhere to play and no crowds to play in front of. The intent of M.P.N. is to unify and inform all the components of the Michigan metal scene for the betterment of all involved and in my view it 12 LIVE - DETROITLIVEMAGAZINE.COM
the business side of metal. We may not be on stage, but we are definitely not always back stage being groupies either! There is a small group of us making real things happen to bring metal music forward.” I for one am all for it! I think I speak for metal heads everywhere when I say who doesn’t want to see more metal chicks getting involved and attending shows, it’s about damn time! When asked what she would like to see happen in the future for M.P.N., Jen had this to say: “I see M.P.N. going as far as metal heads want us to go. Everything that’s happened with M.P.N. is because of the bands, venues, radio stations and people approaching us. Booking more shows is definitely in our future and I would like to see us get more involved in the Detroit scene and up north too. Cities like Cadillac, Alpena and Traverse City have metal heads and shows and we can help them too. Right now M.P.N. is a side project for me and everyone else involved. We are just starting to make money on t-shirts but will be investing that into shows. So I “ld love to be able to make M.P.N. more of a business, so it can help support a few people who spend countless hours working on it. I have some ideas on that but like I said, it’s a side project with full time hours for now.”
A unified, state wide metal scene can only serve to benefit all parties involved and a movement like this one has been a long time coming to say the least. I have been involved in every aspect of the scene here in Detroit for the last ten years and fully understand the need for a change in atmosphere. No one is working harder to make it a reality than Jen Lorenski. Her idea seems so obvious that it should have been done a long time ago but the genius of it is undeniable. If M.P.N. is able to maintain it’s momentum it wont be long before it’s connecting metal heads from state to state and even coast to coast!