Local bands Rock for Relief

A trio of local bands jammed out for charity and entertained an energetic all- ages crowd Friday night at the Strand Theatre during an exhilarating evening of eclectic music and inspired performances.

The benefit concert “Band Together for Haiti,” was organized by Sara Chappella and all proceeds from the show were donated to the American Red Cross.

“I decided to get this together after seeing the faces of those affected by the devastating earthquakes in January on television and seeing pictures on the internet,” Chapella said. “As human beings it is our duty to help out those in need, and it should give us hope that we will receive help when we, too, are in need.”

Each of the 15 musicians on stage during the benefit exuded passion in their performances and joyous revelry in their inspired, often extended jams.

“All three bands came out for a good cause and treated the audience to a wide variety of music from the blues to funk to punk,” said bassist Jim “Biscuit” Wisker, one of many local musicians in the audience during Friday‘s charity extravaganza.

The opening act “The Jugbusters,” is a self-styled “barn –band” whose opening song was filled with fluid intonations which recalled jamming out on the back porch on a lazy summer afternoon.

After this rather mellow intro, the band jumped full-fledged into blues, southern rock and rockabilly inspired music that had many small children jumping and dancing in the aisles. It is not everyday that one sees a band led by dual harmonicas accompanied by thumping bass and slow-hand style blues guitar work. This harmonica- infused music was only intensified as the band invited special guest, Carson Diersing, on stage for three songs.

In three songs this 12-year-old prodigy stole the stage and thunder first with a soaring harmonica and then on guitar in a rockabilly romp through Chuck Berry’s classic “Johnny B. Good.” Later in the night, Diersing joined the final act, “Sub* Mission,” to display his musical range in a punk take of Johnny Cash tune.

If “The Jugbusters” is, indeed, a “barn-band” then that is one rocking barn and surely all the animals would be grooving and dancing ecstatically, especially during this band’s raucous version of the blues classic: “Little Red Rooster.”

The second act of this eclectic night expanded the evening’s musical horizons in a high-energy, funkified set filled with popping guitars and the full, fat sounds of screaming and wailing horns.

The members of “Day Job Blues,” literally jumped, bounced and bounded with unbridled energy, especially trombonist and lead singer Eric Kendall, during an intense set that rang out with excitable, popping funk to the hard-core down and dirty grit of the blues.

The fat, full, brick wall of sound conjured up by this 5-piece band was driven by the inspired horn play, both saxophone and flute, of Cathy Hurt. This woman, in point of fact, is a one-person horn ensemble whose emotional range is exceptional.  From the trilling flute of “Jethro Tull” through saxophones of “The Average White Band” to “Michael Jackson” and James Brown tunes, her horns wailed, screamed and reigned supreme. The godfather of soul was a natural for this band’s funky, tremulous barrage of robust and ripping sounds.

After this ribald romp through the big sounds of 1970’s Motown, the evening’s final band, “Sub* Mission” launched into a raw, fast, avalanching cavalcade of old-school punk.

Led by Scot Schrader’s vocals and guitar work this band’s highly energetic and frenetic tour of alternative musical vistas hits one like a rush of adrenaline.

From drummer Dave Fannin’s  growling lyrics on “Thunderkiss 5000” to bassist Mark Dietrich’s  vigorous take on  “Plowed” by “Sponge ,” this hard-core  trio live up to  the amphetamine aesthetic of punk style.

I have seen “Sub*Mission” many many times and they are a band that continues to musically grow and expand their vision.  During Friday’s set, for example, of the first 12 songs the trio performed I had only heard one performed by this band before. Several musicians in the audience, in fact, ask me which punk band ever before covered either “Johnny Cash” or “The Everly Brothers” before. Thrash takes on Cash I have heard, never, however, do I recall anyone punking –up “The Everly Brothers.”

In retrospect, “Band Together for Haiti” was an exciting, energetic and exhilarating evening that proved to me once again that art fused with passion can and should make a difference in the world both abroad and at home. The evening, in fact, was best summed up best by another local musician enjoying the night from the comfort of the crowd.

“It was night of great music by fantastic musicians and all for a good cause,” said drummer Jim Whitaker.” A good time was had by all.”