Mark Reitenga Group

www.theoaklandpress.com
SUNDAY JUNE 8 2003

ENTERTAINMENT

By JENA PASSUT
Of The Oakland Press

Name: Mark Reitenga and
the Marksmen.

Formed: Reitenga has been
playing music since 1988 and
has been with his current
band for three
years.

Sound: ?gI?fm kind
of in the style of
Van Morrison,
James Taylor or the Beatles,?h
says Reitenga, adding that his
music is acoustic folk rock
with a spiritual
element.

Members:
Reitenga
plays guitar,
sings and
writes
music; Steve
Adams
plays drums
and Bill
Engleman
plays bass.

Influences:
?gThere are
so many,?h
says the
high-energy
Reitenga
with a
laugh, listing
James
Taylor, the
Beatles and
Cold Play. ?gI
like the 1970s AM radio stars.?h

Day jobs: Reitenga does
advertising and sales for
Car.com weekly.

What?fs in a name?: The
band?fs name is a play on
Reitenga?fs first name.

So you wanna be a star:
Reitenga has opened for a few
big-name Christian acts,
including Jon Gibson and
David Meece.
Who knew?: The suit-wearing
folkster is a deacon at
Ward Presbyterian in
Northville and recently went
on a mission trip to El
Salvador.

Favorite gig: So far, he?fs
enjoyed playing at Lily?fs
Seafood in Royal Oak the
most. ?gIt?fs very intimate,?h he
explains. ?gIt?fs like playing in
your living room.?h

What?fs next: Reitenga
hopes to warm up for bigger
acts and play bigger venues.
?gObviously I?fd like to get a
record contract, but for now
I?fm setting small goals I can
attain,?h he says.

Hear ?fem: His music can be
downloaded from MP3.com or
his debut CD ?gUnsung?h
ordered from Reitenga by calling
(248) 670-4384 or
e-mailing
mreitenga@
aol.com.

See ?fem:
Reitenga
plays every
Monday
night at
Four Green
Fields, 30919
Woodward
Ave, Royal
Oak; call
(248) 208-
2088. He?fll
also perform
Thursday
June 21
and 28 at
Robusto?fs
Martini
Lounge,
19271 Mack
Ave., Grosse
Pointe
Woods, (313) 881-0100;
June 19
and 26 at Lily?fs Seafood, 410 S
Washington Ave., (248) 591-
5459; and July 26 at Hamlin
Pub North, 741 S. Lapeer Road,
Lake Orion, (248) 814-8109.

Surf ?fem: www.mark
reitenga.com.

(The Oakland Press will regularly
feature a different band or
musician in The UpBeat. To be
included, send background
information, a black-and-white
nonreturnable photo, daytime
phone number and current CD
to Gary Graff, The Oakland
Press, P.O. Box 436009,
Pontiac 48343.)
Mark Reitenga
and the Marksmen
?¡ THE
UPBEAT
Reitenga - Oakland Press Profile