AJ's Music Cafe
aj's music cafe ~~ 240 W. Nine Mile, ferndale, mi 48220 ~~ (248) 399-3946
Monday 8AM-10PM, Tuesday-Thursday 8AM-11PM, Friday & Saturday 8AM-Midnight, Sunday 9AM-10PM
Coffees, Lattes, Rollups, Soups, Salads, Bagels, Vegan options.
Acoustic & Indie Music, Poetry, Comedy, Theatre, Art. Free WiFi.
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dannyBoy
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Tue-Wed-Thurs
OPEN MIC
$3 min. purchase | 8:00pm start / 6:00pm signup
Friday, March 6th
Danny Boy Book Signing at Read It Again Books in Novi
| 12:00pm-2:00pm
Thursday, March 12th
Danny Boy Book Signing at U of D Mercy at the Fountain
| 12:00pm-2:00pm
Sunday, March 15th
Danny Boy Book Signing at St. Patrick's Senior Center, 58 Parsons St. Detroit, MI
| 10:00am-2:00pm
Tuesday, March 17th
Danny Boy Book Signing at AJ's Music Cafe
| All Day
Assembly Line Concert
We have over 200 bands signed up as well as heated competition from another town. Details at assemblylineconcert.com
January 7, 2009
AJ O'Neil
ajamesoneil@gmail.com
http://ipromiseamerica.com
248-399-3946
Detroit-area coffee shop owner, activist to host 240 hours of continuous music in tribute to U.S. workers, companies
FERNDALE, Mich., January 7, 2009 -- A Detroit area coffee shop is planning to break the Guinness record for "longest concert by multiple artists" when it hosts a 10-day continuous musical tribute to the American auto industry.
The 240-hour "Assembly Line" show -- planned for March 20-30 -- will be hosted by AJ's Cafe in Ferndale, Mich., the latest in a series of events planned by cafe owner and community activist AJ O'Neil. O'Neil made headlines in March 2007, when he hosted a 50-hour "Danny Boy" marathon. He recently made national news again with his offer of a free cup of coffee to customers who pledge to buy American cars.
The Assembly Line concert will bring the two worlds together as the music marathon pays tribute to American workers, products and automobiles. The Danny Boy marathon attracted singers ranging from local business owners to the governor of Michigan. The Assembly Line will also call on musicians from all segments of society to come together in the heart of hard-hit Main Street America and help pay tribute to the down, but not out, American worker.
"We call on every manufacturing plant, every car dealership, garage mechanic to join us," O'Neil said. "We call on politicians, loan officers, credit agencies, builders to join us. We call for music to heal us in these trying times.
"We call on the corporate world to join us to help us in our Main Street solution to this American challenge."
The Assembly Line Concert will feature at least 240 acts, performing for 240 hours, nonstop, at AJ's Cafe, 240 Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, Mich.
Each of the 10 days will highlight different aspects of the American partnership between workers, employers, politicians and the media. One day, political leaders will play 24, one-hour sets; another day, auto workers; and another day, local Detroit bands. Even members of the media will have their own day to play and be a part of the big news event.
If anybody can pull off an event like this, it's AJ O'Neil, who has a history of bringing the community together for special events and causes.
In December, what began as O'Neil's small effort to show support for a bridge loan to the Big Three automakers grew into a movement and generated media coverage nationwide. His offer of a free cup of coffee to customers who sign a promise that they will buy an American-made car prompted an overwhelming response that resulted not only in O'Neil briefly running out of coffee, but also a new Web site: http://IPromiseAmerica.com, and social networking site: http://ipromiseamerica.ning.
O'Neil's 50-hour "Danny Boy" marathon last year brought prominent politicians, including Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, to his coffee shop stage. The marathon inspired a book about how the community came together for the marathon -- and about O'Neil's personal struggles. "In Sunlight or in Shadow," by Karen Wilhelm, is scheduled for release in February.
AJ's Music Cafe is located at 240 W. Nine Mile Road in Ferndale, Mich. You can call O'Neil at 248-399-3946 or e-mail him at ajamesoneil@gmail.com.
Detroit Area Cafe Bails Out Big Three With Free Coffee
AJ's Offers A Cup For Customers Who Promise To Buy American Cars
FERNDALE, Mich., Dec. 10, 2008 -- As Washington debates bailing out the Big Three, a Detroit-area coffee shop is helping to keep Motown moving by offering a free cup of coffee for every customer who promises to buy an American car.
The "I Promise" campaign at AJ's Music Cafe in downtown Ferndale is owner AJ O'Neil's way of telling America that Detroiters believe the domestic auto industry is worth saving.
"There's a lot of talk in Washington about what Detroit does or does not deserve in handouts from American taxpayers," O'Neil said. "Well, here on Main Street in Detroit, we believe in the products we make and we're willing to pledge to America that we will help the car companies survive and repay every penny."
O'Neil, who has been invited to attend the inauguration of Barack Obama, said the "I Promise" campaign is an answer to the president-elect's own words: "We know the government can't solve every problem."
So, in addition to the $15 billion to be chipped in by the U.S. government, the "I Promise" campaign is meant to assure the Big Three that their grass-roots customers stand ready to support them as well.
But O'Neil warned that the promise does not give the automakers a blank check. It implies a responsibility on their part, too.
"We also understand that it is imperative that they remember that they have a fiduciary responsibility to their customers to build, safe, attractive, technologically advanced, environmentally responsible vehicles," O'Neil said. "Our promise, for that understanding, is to stand behind you and buy your product."
O'Neil reports that he has already seen the merits of the campaign, launched on Tuesday.
"So far, just this morning, I was able to see a customer become convinced to buy a Chrysler, instead of a Toyota," he said. "Another signer stated that she would be satisfied to buy an American car if the automakers held up their part of the bargain.
"I hope, I hope I run out of coffee! If i start to get low, I'll be looking for a bailout by the Big Three!"
O'Neil is also a playwright and community activist who has a knack for drawing the community together. He made headlines worldwide last March when he hosted a 50-hour "Danny Boy" marathon that brought prominent politicians, including Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, to his coffee shop stage.
O'Neil is planning to repeat the "Danny Boy" marathon next spring and is scheduled to release a book in February 2009 about how the event came together.
AJ's Music Cafe is located at 240 W. Nine Mile Road in Ferndale, Mich. You can call O'Neil at 248-399-3946 or e-mail him at ajamesoneil@gmail.com.
Sean Shea's Monday Open Mic Night
Is canceled pending finding a new host!
The Birth of the Baby Jesus (Hay-zeus) in Ferndale
Is now on DVD!
Soup for you!
We have three soups and one vegan chili every day. At least one of the soups is vegan. Come in and get warmed up by a crock or bowl made from AJ's finest ingredients (and support your local music scene in the process). Crock $3.75. Bowl $4.50.
ajBay
Got art, crafts, assorted sundries? We have a place for you to sell them.
You can consign your items to ajBay in the front of our shop. 20% of all proceeds goes to benefit FernCare.
Thanks to all of you who supported FernCare Free Medical Clinic by coming out for yet another fun AJ's Music Cafe Music Marathon. This time we sang Beatles tributes on November 13th with only a $5 cover. Come sing "Yesterday" with your friends thirteen times in a row at this special open mic night. We had fifteen (15!) bands altogether in the two day jam fest on November 14-15th. Linda B. won a seven foot Christmas tree complete with decorations and gift certificates to various downtown Ferndale stores. All told, AJ's Music Cafe patrons raised over $2000 for free healthcare in Ferndale.
FernCare is a committee of a 501 (c) (3) non profit organization.
Welcome to AJ's Music Cafe of Ferndale
We have excellent coffees, lattes, smoothies, best sandwiches and boxed lunches in Ferndale and nightly music with open mike on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. We host Ferndale Idol (now in its second season).
In December 2007, we launched a boxed lunch program for all those hungry professionals, fans, and workers around Ferndale who can't get to us during lunch.
And we're open at 7 AM. With free WiFi.
Music at AJ's Music Cafe
Every week we have three open mic nights where the best of Ferndale perform. Open mic nights have no cover charge, start at 8 and can be signed up for in person or by phone.
Most every weekend we have a band, performer or something going on. Something is always happening. Cover varies.
We are hosting Ferndale Idol's second season (started in January) every Sunday.
Open Mic 8:30-11pm
Sign up at 6pm.
In Memory of Sean Fitzgerald
Sean Fitzgerald is a Detroit urban electric folk singer with songs about DOT riding, train trips, love and Detroit, the best place ever. Well, at least he was.
Sean past away in November 2008, from injuries in a car accident.