BY JOSH BENFIELD

There are two parts to Little Reggies Productions. The first being to promote music and help bands out with shows, I think that is pretty obvious! The second part is to provide kids with a place to hang out and hopefully, through our shows, we can make a difference in their lives. I know that it might sound stupid now, but when I was a young kid (about 14 years old) they only had shows in bars where I would have to go to see my favorite bands play. I was too young to drink and never had much money, so I never really felt welcome around these types of places. I would walk up to the door with two one dollar bills and three bucks in quarters and dimes and the door guy would just look at me like I was a fool. Although I had a blast at all of those shows, there was something missing, maybe it was a total lack of concern for me as a young kid with no place to go on a Friday night. Whatever it was, I felt it. After years of having my dad drop me off at these venues I thought I might be able to change things by doing my own shows. I started renting out community centers and pool halls. I saved every penny I had to buy a little PA system and started booking my friends bands. We would do 3 dollars and a can of food for admission, if we broke even we were lucky. However, it was worth it because the kids really cared about what we were doing. They all supported the bands and came faithfully for years.

I've grown up now, and I am in my mid-twenties. Looking back I don't really think I had a plan or set of goals on becoming a promoter with a production company. I still feel silly when I think of it like that. As the scene has grown and changed I have too, but I think my heart has remained the same. I really care and believe in the kids who come to our shows. There are so many people who have helped us along the way, giving countless hours of work just to make sure shows run smoothly. I could never thank those people enough. I will truly call them friends for the rest of my life. I try to run LRP with all of this in mind. I try to put importance on the things that really matter and let go of those that don't.

Money and numbers don't matter. What does matter are the relationships we have developed over the years at these show. Now don't get me wrong, you've got to pay the bills. You can't tell the phone company or the venue owner that "money doest matter" or "I'll just rent your place for free." All you can do is try your best to make the right choices. We try hard to do the right thing and make kids feel welcome at our shows. It is easy to get lost in the business side of running a show, but I am always reminded of what is important when I see kids coming together and finding a place they can call their own. With that said, I want kids to know we're here for them and will do anything to let them know that they are appreciated.