Local music artists rock for charity
By Kelly Vormelker, Staff Writer
May 24, 2007 | 4 p.m.
This week, break out from the normal bar crawl and try helping out a great cause while enjoying great bands and still catch that buzz. One night combines two great benefit shows where students will have the opportunity to help out local businesses other than Goodfellas and Taco Bell.
The Gathering Place
The Blue Gator is hosting an event for The Gathering Place May 24. Entry is $25 and doors open at 5 p.m. The Princes of Hollywood, Danger Will Robinson, The Local Girls, Megan Cameron, Amethyst Stone and After Hours will be playing at the show, where food from local eateries will also be provided. The night comes to a close with after-hours beginning 9:30 p.m.
The Princes of Hollywood often play benefit shows. However, this is the first time they have been involved with the Gathering Place. Incidentally, Princes' Tristan Kinsley’s father was director of the organization in the 1980s.
Kinsley plays guitar and dobro in the band with Harland Dalzell, who plays guitar and mandolin. Both provide vocals for their music.
“Benefit shows are fun to play because we are able to perform in an atmosphere where there is no pressure to help the venue sell beer, as is generally the case," Dalzell said. "Instead, we get to play our music for a new crowd and support a righteous cause, in this case providing a healthy environment for disabled adults in our community."
After Hours became hooked with the show through ties that they have with the Athens community. Adami said their fans also know that the band “is always willing to play music for a good cause, or even just for the hell of it!”
Tony Adami of After Hours said the band has played several benefit shows in the past.
"Helping out The Gathering Place is one way that we can use our passion for playing music to help those in need. Of course, it's also a good way for our music to be heard,” Adami said.
The band notes that benefit shows are different because the audience is connected to the cause; they become more invested in the music.
The Gathering Place is a support program for adults with mental illness. The mission of the organization is to “support the recovery of persons with mental illness by enhancing personal development and well-being and fostering community involvement.” The organization serves Athens, Vinton and Hocking counties. Recently, The Gathering Place has not made its normal revenue. In lieu of shutting its doors, the organization is hosting several benefit events, including this show, hoping that it will make enough money to stay open.
Green/Pink
True philanthropists will have to split their time wisely. The Union is hosting Green/Pink -- also on May 24 -- where doors open at 9 p.m. The cover is $5, with $1 off for those who sport green or pink in their attire. Chingar Mimi, White Album, The Paper Machetes and Casual Future are slated to play.
The bands playing at this show do not have any strong ties to Green/Pink. They are scheduled simply to play, share their music and hope to raise some money in the process.
"Green" represents The Sierra Club, and "Pink" represents the organization One by One. This specific event is being put on by the Women’s Studies Feminist department at Ohio University. They are raising money to help women with obstetric fistula in underdeveloped countries. This condition results in women after severe or failed pregnancies. It most often occurs in places where there is not adequate pre-natal care. Women with the condition face several health and social consequences, such as isolation and ostracism from the community. Green/Pink hopes to raise money to help these women afford the surgery to fix the condition, which costs only $200.
Dance, drink and donate your way to a great night this weekend!
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More information on all of these bands can be found at each band’s page on MySpace.com.