Family Focus

Above: Emily Rogal with Push Play lead singer CJ Baran.

Above right: Emily Rogal and her friend, Terran Bruce, bottom, pose with the band What Happened in Vegas, including

lead singer Aaron Jerome, guitarist Skylar Tait, guitarist and backup vocalist Steve Ervinck, drummer Nick Nackel and
Terran's mom, Randy Bruce.

Push

To

PLAY

Local 13-year-old
gathers
1,000 names
to secure concert.

Stephanie Steinberg
Teen2Teen Intern

and petitions everywhere she went.
With help from family and friends,
she easily secured the 1,000 names.
roily Rogal, 13, of Rochester
"I have the best group of friends
attended the Jonas Brothers ever;' Rogal said of her support-
concert at DTE Energy
ers. "My best friend, Olivia, went to
Music Theatre in Independence
school and collected 50 names and
Township on July 5, but she wasn't
e-mails in one day."
there to see the Jonas Brothers or
Besides asking friends and fam-
hear them sing. She was there to
ily, Rogal stood outside the Jonas
promote Push Play, the four-member Brothers concert to get signatures.
boy band from Long Island, N.Y.,
It was an easy task, as Push Play
that opened for the Jonas Brothers.
shares many of the Jonas Brothers'
In January, Rogal joined the
fans. Both bands characterize their
Michigan Push Play Street Team, a
music as a combination of rock and
fan-run promotional and market-
pop, and the style of their songs give
ing team for the band. Most bands
a similar vibe. Hit songs by Push
have a street team in each state and,
Play include "Away Away:' "There She
based on their popularity, some have Goes Again" and "The Life By the
teams in Europe. Six months after
end of the Jonas Brothers concert,
joining the Michigan team, Rogal
Rogal had 100 more names added to
was promoted to regional manager
the list and had sold more than 40
in Michigan and Wisconsin.
tickets for the Push Play show.
One of Rogal's main goals was to
For Rogal, it's not difficult asking
get Push Play to play a concert in
people to support her cause. "You
Michigan. She contacted the band's
have to explain what you're doing
manager, Sue Baran, who told Rogal
and your purpose she said.
to collect 1,000 names and e-mails
For a birthday present, Rogal's
of people who would come see the
parents, James and Miriam Rogal,
show.
took their daughter to see a Push
Rogal approached the venue
Play benefit concert in Illinois. Rogal
Crofoot in Pontiac. "I told them I
got to know the band personally
really want to do this, and I'll to any- when she met the members back-
thing I can to get this started;' she
stage and performed a sound check
said. After seeing Rogal's enthusiasm with them before the show.
and commitment to the project, they
"I like Push Play because they are
agreed to have the band play at their extremely talented, down to earth,
venue next week.
and fun guys;' she gushed. "They
Once she had the place booked,
are so appreciative of everything
Rogal started carrying clipboards
their fans do for them, and they are

E

incredibly humble!'
Besides promoting Push Play,
Rogal is in charge of publicity for
a band from Warren called What
Happened in Vegas. They will be
opening for the Push Play concert at
Crofoot.
Skylar Tait is What Happened in
Vegas' lead guitarist. He met Rogal at
his band's show at the Pikeroom in
Pontiac.
"We started talking and she want-
ed to help us out:' Tait said. "So she's
been promoting us online, getting
our name out to her friends. She also
got us on the Push Play show, which
I am very much excited about!'
In addition to working with
bands, Rogal has met significant
players in the entertainment indus-
try, such as the tour managers for
Hannah Montana and the band Boys
Like Girls. Rogal said she is decid-
ing whether or not to become a tour
manager herself.
"It would be cool to organize a
concert for a band and see it all work
out:' she said. "When you put a lot
of hard work into something, it pays
off:'

❑

Stephanie Steinberg, 18, will attend the
University of Michigan this fall.

The Push Play concert starts
at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5,
at the Crofoot, 1 S. Saginaw,
Pontiac. Push Play tickets can
be purchased for $8 at
www.ticketweb.com .

July 31 • 2008

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