lowellsun.com/ci_9940423?iadid...

Sonny, who many of you know personally was stabbed last week leaving band practice of all things and he's racking up the medical bills. Sonny, for those of you who don't know him is an amazingly talented guitarist, vocalist and songwriter from Lowell and has played in bands such as Strawberry Bazarre and Porter. He's a great kid who is very passivce and wouldn't hurt a fly. Anyways, Nick from Scorch contacted me and asked me to get a date for a benefit @ Deb's and I did. We need your help! If nothing else, Lowell Rocks is a small tight knit community with lots of good people and great musicians. Lets all come together and help out a fellow musician in need. I don't want to hear you can't attend or you can't afford it. I want to hear "I'll be there and if there's anything I can do to help, let me know". Or, "my band has a gig that night but I'll buy 2 tickets anyways." Power of the people!

Details:
When: Thursday Aug 21st, 2008 8:00pm-1:30am
Where: Deb's Lakeview Lounge Dracut Ma.
Why: You know why!
What: a ton of local musicians jamming for a friend and fellow musician in need.

Deb's has donated the room, some food, a basket of booze for raffling off, the sound system and engineer and offered to print the tickets for this. (How cool are they?)

What we need...
Talent (If you are available to play that night contact Ni ck from Scorch. He is coordinating the talent)

Donations:

(We need a door prize of some value to raffle off...Sox tix, Pats tix, gift certificate etc.)

We need raffle items as small as $10-20 in value

We need food (anyone willing to donate a tray of food please let us know.

We need volunteers for that evening to sell raffle tickets and work the door (Please sign up in this thread and contact Nick or myself)

We need promoters! Do you have a myspace acct? A website? A cell phone, email, friends in low places? Good! LET PEOPLE KNOW!

I'm officially taking a roll call right here in this thread...who's gonna step up?

and TimO will be bringing friends?

Well said Devin, thanks again. I owe you one.

I'm waiting for a confirmation from RIPT and Hot and Bothered.

I don't really have any, but i will spread the word.

Sonny's parents and my parents were friends before we were even born, so we grew up together. He's my best friend and like a brother to me.

Keiley - me, you and Pat as a 3 piece?!?!?! I LIKE IT. Lets do it!

Sure. I wont be able to stick around all day but I can come back the day after and pick up my amp if I can leave it there.

I just got an email from Candi at Daddy's Junky Music and she's sending me a couple of gift cards to include in the raffle.

Diane, email Nick what you are making so it can be coordinated. Thx!

As for promoting the benefit, you should put an ad in the Lowell Sun's "Going Out" section. That's what I did for the KPM benefit. You'd be surprised how many people read that section.

OMG, it is "that" Sonny? I've worked with Porter a few times over at the barn. Areal unassuming guy and excellent, player & writer. Hatful of Corruption gets regular play here.
Especially SUV ! A real barn burner. I hope to round up the guys for a set to help out. Best wishes for a quick recovery.

I'm not sure we can play that night but I'll put something together if possible. I'll be there for sure. I'd actually like to see Strawberry Bazarre get back together...maybe I can be the lead singer for a night. Then again...Sonny sings way better than me so it would be career suicide.

Count me in for promoting, is there a poster I can download? I bartend at Lindas (tonight actually!!) and can ask to put some up, I am sure they will as they often do that for many other benefits. I can also email tons of people, i'll start with that today.

We will try to make the benefit itself and will more than likely donate something.

Donation idea: Dunkin Donuts or Gas gift cards to raffle off.

MissDiane - The email on the scorch profile is good. I check it daily.
Thanks everyone for helping out. Jay from Ript called me today, they'll probably do a set. Who knows, Strawberry Bazzare might have a reunion that night. All 4 members will be there.
As far as a flyer, I'm going to make one up this weekend and I'll email it to anyone who wants it.

Thanks Nick!

up-see-daisy^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I'm still looking for people who can bring some food, I still need some raffle prizes, and nobody has offered their drums yet.
This event is only 3 weeks away, please help.

.. or days at 617.552.2834.

I don't know Sonny but I've heard good things about the guy.

YES! Thanks so much Chris. That's really nice of you. Keiley's letting us use his bass amp, I've got 2 half stacks I'll be bringing, and now Chris has volunteered his drums. That's the backline!
Thanks Chris, I'll guard it with my life!
BTW Chris- that Marshall combo amp you were using at Uncle Eddie's sounded PISSA!

Thanks Nick, I know it sounds nice. I have to thank Plexi for finding the bias sweet spot. It gets more crank without the volume.

BUMP for Sonny !

bump!

Ok, so here it is, finally. The band lineup for the benefit.

RIPT
Mindset X
Burning the Lie
Strawberry Bazzare

I've got raffle prizes:

4 tickets to a Lowell Spinners game - 3 rows behind the catcher!
2 Daddy's Junky Music gift cards
Booze Basket donated by Deb's
And whatever I decide to buy for the raffle, something good though!

No tickets will be printed, girls will collect money at the door.
Food is just about all set. Miss Diane, Tom McMahon, and whatever the club puts out should be enough. Who really is going to eat much on Thursday night from 8-1 anyway.

If you would like to make a donation, send it to me and I will use it to buy an new guitar.
No just kidding. Send it to my work address cause I don't trust my apartment in Lowell.

ISDNstallations, Inc
c/o Nick Kremidas
168 Ayer Road
Littleton, MA 01460

Thanks to everyone who has been so thoughtful. There really are some good people still around.

I need something else for the raffle!

All those are terrific ideas.

Last laugh can't play that night but I can jam. If anyone wants to put together a small set let me know.

I'll have to look to see when you guys are playing closer to Lowell and I'll come to your gig and pick it up.

Bump!

I don't know the guy but it's horrible when anything like this happens!! I don't know if I can be there - but let me know what I can do for food.

Wander7809 AT yahoo DOT com

I can always mail it to you if you can't get out to a gig.

Sonny is doing very good. He's up and around and even made it to band practice last week. The doctor said his lung is healing up perfectly. He's still in a little pain, but that's what the prescription meds are for.
Sonny has played countless benefit shows for others and it's nice to see good people help him out.
He said he can play for a good 30 minutes before he has to stop, so be prepared for a Strawberry Bazzare reunion with the original members coming back together for this special night.

Thank you so much. I'll be sure to let Sonny know of your generousity.

Today's Lowell Sun newspaper reports that one of the idiots that were involved in Sonny's stabbing was arrested. FINALLY!
lowellsun.com/ci_10186656?sou...

Can we invite the guy to the benefit and auction him off as a goalie for the dart team?

I say bring back the whippin post

^

Thursday night!

I haven't heard anything from anyone so I'll assume you're all set for food. Good luck and I hope you raise big buckos! :)

ummm I have a couple chocolate-cinnamon scones I made last night. Some are at home in Chelmsford and some are with me in Waltham. *smooshes one into the computer screen* can you reach it? lol

I wish I could attend, but I will be in the studio. :-(

Good luck, and I hope the benefit goes well!

^

Nick or Devin -
Do you know if Deb is going to have the electric heating trays available to keep the hot food hot tomorrow?

You may want to call either Deb or AJ first. At last years KPM Deb didn't want the sterno and put out all of the heating trays.

I'm not sure...call Deb during the day at the club.

Tonight should bring back some good memories of days/nights/early mornings past. The old jam room. The Usual. The LA Ballroom. Booze. Broken elevators. More booze.

What is the line up for this?

What a blast last night was! The music was loud, the place was full, and the people were great. I said the music was loud, right? LOL. I had never heard any of the bands before, and to be honest alot of the music was heavier than what I'm used to, but I had a wonderful time hearing it. It was great listening to something outside what I usually have playing!

Great job Devin and Nick! It was very nice meeting Sonny and his mom & dad. Several Lowell Rockers were there ... Matt Murray, one of the guys from his band that I don't know his name, tbass, In My Soul, TME (nice to meet you!), Eric Reid, and probably many others that I don't know. Sorry if I missed anyone! Eric's girlfriend Andrea and his sister Lisa were there too.

It was such a fun time!