Our Annual Benefit Concerts

Medical Marijuana & Everglades Awareness are the two annual benefits we produce each year. The concerts act as educational tools & fundraising vehicles for the organizations involved and are held at various venues around the city. Top local bands and entertainers perform for something they believe in. Check out the press releases from the most recent events. Alway fun!

 

Medical Marijuana - Press Release

On Saturday, March 14, 2015 Ploppy Palace Productions and NORML of Florida will be hosting the 17th Annual Medical Marijuana Benefit Concert at Grand Central.

This event will raise funds for NORML of Florida’s (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), Patients Out Of Time’s, United For Care’s and The Silver Tour’s medical marijuana campaign and the protection of patients’ rights. Currently there is a statewide campaign to change the medical marijuana laws in Florida that includes legislation in the Florida House and Senate as well as a statewide petition drive. As part of this two stage extravaganza, some of South Florida's top bands, spoken word artists and community activists will join together for patients’ and physicians’ right to use medical cannabis.

As a testament to the diversity of supporters for this cause, there will be a broad variety of musical styles including jazz, rock, reggae, folk, vocal harmonies, hip-hop, funk, experimental, tribal rhythms, traditional Peruvian, world beat fusion, psychedelic grooves and various interactive jams.

Johnny Dread, Sweetbone, Teri Catlin, UOM, Kuyayky, The Tribe, Rhythm Flow, Fresh Air, Mr Grim Reapa, Orion, Ellen Bukstel, Orrin Bolton and more will be showcasing original music.

Alonso, Rebecca “Butterfly” Vaughns, Rio and other spoken word artists will be presenting innovative spoken word poetry with musical accompaniment.

In addition, Elviza’s Rockabelly Hippies featuring Elviza, Sofia Luna and other dancers will be performing a variety of dance and movement pieces to energetic, rhythmic percussion and ambient tones.

Melody Gedeon, Cleric, Ian Michael, Bryan Koyles and other performers will be light spinning, juggling various items and entertaining the crowds with a festival vibe.

Modern Galaxy Films will be showcasing a special marijuana activist video that will be projected during the show.

Plus Anibal Fernandez, Rei Ramirez, Linx and other creative artists will be rendering a live painting demonstration to visually complement the music.

Irvin Rosenfeld, legal medical marijuana patient and Director for Patients Out Of Time, will be describing his experiences with obtaining medical marijuana through the federal government.

The 17th Annual Medical Marijuana Benefit Concert will also feature a selection of community speakers who will present information about the issues including South Miami City Commissioner Walter Harris, Ric Margolius - Senior Circuit Court Judge, Norm Kent - National NORML, Karen Goldstein - NORML of Florida, Steven Machat - CMI Music, Michael Minardi P.A., Dr. Jeffrey Kamlet - Addiction Specialist, Robert Platshorn - The Silver Tour, representatives from the ACLU of Greater Miami, Florida Green Party, United for Care and other concerned citizens.

NORML of Florida, United For Care, Patients Out Of Time, The Silver Tour and various other organizations will have informational booths with literature and handouts to help educate about community issues and the medical marijuana campaign in Florida.

The event will work to raise funds and awareness for NORML of Florida, The Silver Tour, Patients Out of Time and the United For Care medical marijuana campaign to protect patients’ rights. Previously, a person's right to use medical necessity as a defense to marijuana charges has been upheld by several appeals courts in Florida. Marijuana has proven therapeutically useful in treating numerous medical conditions including muscle spasticity, arthritis, MS, and the nausea related to AIDS and cancer chemotherapy. In 2010, the City of South Miami passed a resolution to support medical marijuana on a statewide and national level - this is the first city in Florida to endorse the issue - since then 2 other Florida municipalities have also passed similar resolutions. Currently there is medical marijuana legislation prepared for this session in Florida. There is also a new petition drive about to launch to generate more public support for medical marijuana in Florida. At the moment, there are 20 states and Washington D.C. that have laws allowing marijuana to be used as medicine. In addition 8 states (including Florida) have laws protecting patients using CBD cannabidiol concentrates.

In addition there will be vendors and small businesses promoting and selling their merchandise, including The Wallflower Gallery, Moksha Boutique, Brickell Smoke Shop, Progressive Rags and selected independent enterprises.

**** As a fundraiser, Ploppy Palace Productions, CMI Vibe Music and The Wheel Party have produced a compilation CD for the cause - Legalize It! Vol. 1: It's Natural! 18 tracks of groovin' music available now on our website - check it out! ****

Production support provided by Ploppy Palace Productions, 7th Circuit Productions and Modern Galaxy Films.

The 17th Annual Medical Marijuana Benefit Concert at Grand Central is currently looking for supportive sponsors and unique vendors to help to build up the community outreach and contribute to the cause.

The 17th Annual Medical Marijuana Benefit Concert at Grand Central is sponsored by Ploppy Palace Productions, NORML of Florida, United For Care, Brickell Smoke Shop, Progressive Rags, SFGN, Rush Flyers, Moksha Family Arts Collective, The Wheel Party, The Wallflower Gallery and Artists for Community Evolution.

Donate online!

Saturday, March 14, 2014

4 p.m. – 3 a.m.

at Grand Central

697 N Miami Ave

Miami, FL 33136
305-377-2277


For more information, please e-mail Ploppy Palace Productions at events@ploppypalace.com  or call 305.579.0069.

Everglades Awareness - Press Release

April 17, 2014 – Ploppy Palace Productions and the Miccosukee Tribe will be hosting a concert to raise awareness and funds for Everglades protection and public education on Saturday, May 10, 2014, from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. at 7th Circuit Productions. As part of this three stage extravaganza, some of South Florida's top bands, spoken word artists and community activists will join together to raise awareness for this vital natural resource. Those who cannot attend but are interested in donating to the cause can do so online at gofundme.


There will be musical performances by Boxelder, Afrobeta, Sweetbone, Franklin’s Wheel, Aaron Lebos Reality, Nature's Fury, Teri Catlin, The Super Fuzz, Cog Noman, Nag Champayons present the Prolific Minimalists, Kuyayky, The Osceola Brothers Band, Mr. Grim Reapa, Orion, Val C. Wisecracker, Grant Livingston, Anthony Nelson, Silver Nightingale and more.


The evening will also featuring spoken word performances by Alonso, Oscar Fuentes, Rebecca “Butterfly” Vaughns and more as well as dance and performances by Elviza’s Rockabelly Hippies, Feiruz Asaad, Lucky Bruno, Melody Gedeon and more and live painting by Eva Ruiz, Anibal Fernandez, Linx,Jake Cordero and others. There will be face painting by Them There Eyes.


Community speakers include Florida State Senator Dwight Bullard, South Miami City Mayor Phil Stoddard, Houston Cypress from Love the Everglades Movement, Laura Reynolds - Executive Director for Tropical Audubon Society,Matt Schwartz, Executive Director for South Florida Wildlands Association and other concerned citizens.


There will be information booths from Love the Everglades Movement, Tropical Audubon Society, Legalizepot.us (voter registration) and other organizations. In addition there will be vendors and small businesses promoting and selling their merchandise, including The Wallflower Gallery, the Moksha Boutique, Lotus in Hand, Progressive Rags, Dade Recycling and others.


In addition, the Environmental Art Exhibition highlights a selection of distinctive artists including the works of Mark Henson, Kiro Fox Ace, Eva Ruiz,  Lloyd Goradesky, Brian F. Call, Lauranda Hook, Peter Barreda, Margrit-Rose People, Aeric Moskowitz, Alissa Christine, Flex Maslan, Brian Pruitt, Rei Ramirez, Abdiel Acosta, Jorge Muriel, Wesley Geometry, Jake Cordero, Luis Alejandro Diaz, Jean Sarmiento, Mike Jones, Anibal Fernandez, Chia Ortegon, Stephanie McMillan, Aiyesha Ghani, Claudia Costa, Anastasia Sultzer and more. The exhibition will be featured in the Moksha Gallery from Friday, April 18 - Tuesday, May 13.


ABOUT THE CONCERT SERIES


The Everglades Awareness Benefit Concert Series is a platform for individuals and organizations to engage the community about environmental issues and find solutions to help protect the Everglades ecosystem and our water supply.

For this family friendly event, we are reaching out to other businesses, governmental agencies, various organizations and the community to become more aware and more active. This event features a diverse mix of entertainment, environmental artwork, community speakers, information booths and local vendors. We utilize art activism to highlight the environmental content within the various performances and presentations - this format opens the message and expands the chorus of voices working for positive changes.


Objectives include: 


* Engage a wide variety of communities and interests through discussions that articulate what their particular concerns are as it relates to use of natural or human resources that impact the Everglades ecosystem


* Invite minority, or under-represented, communities and perspectives to the forum to share their experiences and concerns


* Engage the local community


* Establish common goals and offer positive solutions to address the problems


* Present a holistic, or comprehensive, perspective on the ways that society interacts with the Everglades ecosystem (industry, agriculture, commercial, cultural, spiritual, etc.)


* Present information on Everglades matters from the following perspectives: science & technology, policy and law, cultural use, history, art


* Discuss threats to environmental sustainability that are not addressed by current projects (L-28 Interceptor Canal & CEPP)


* Create connections between local and national organizations working on Everglades matters


* Generate media attention and public interest


* Raise funds for local organizations that support the Everglades


* Provide commercial opportunities for local vendors and artisans


Currently, the Everglades is one of the most threatened natural habitats in the western hemisphere. Residential development, water management and agricultural use have shifted natural water patterns and have altered the vitality of the ecosystem. With an alarming number of people moving into South Florida every year, we need to come together and help to protect the Everglades for our survival.


7th Annual Everglades Awareness Benefit Concert

Saturday, May 10, 2014

6 p.m. – 3 a.m.