Fun Holiday Benefits with Larry and Jenny Keel!

All year long, Larry and Jenny Keel & friends support lots of great causes including the cause AGAINST mountaintop removal with Appalachian Voices; pick up an “I Love Mountains” sticker at one of their shows!  Last weekend, on Nov 27th, Larry and his brother Gary Keel played the Annual Toys for Tots Party to benefit the Rappahannock Council on Domestic Violence. The Keels are involved in two other music-filled benefits for the holiday season as well -see below for press release details- please join them if you’re in the areas!

The Work’s 9th Annual Christmas Jam Benefit Show Saturday, December 18th

The Greenville based, six-piece band The Work return to The Handlebar again for their 9th Annual Christmas Jam Benefit Show, an Upstate tradition since 2002. This Feature Holiday Event will take place on Saturday, December 18, 2010 at The Handlebar in Greenville, SC and all proceeds raised go to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas, a “home away from home for families of critically ill children receiving treatment at area hospitals.”

This year’s Christmas Jam will feature music by The Work, with performances by a veritable treasure trove of guest musicians. And this is part of the allure of the event, the ever changing line-up of musicians. According to Craig Sorrells, “every Christmas Jam brings great memories for me with the completely unusual arrangement of musicians that come and perform with us.” The band is very excited about this year’s line- up as it includes such world renowned musicians as: Larry & Jenny Keel, Curtis Burch (New Grass Revival), Tom Gray (Delta Moon), and many more to be announced. Also joining this year will be several regional & local musicians including, but not limited to the Shane Pruitt Band, Doug Jones (Cravin’ Melon), Jonathan Lloyd, Jeff Holland, Violet & The Beauredarde’s, Tez Sherrard, plus many others. As well, there will be special surprise guest musicians making appearances during Christmas Jam.

In its previous 8 years of operation, The Work’s Christmas Jam has raised $40,000 for local charities.

www.handlebar-online.com

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Keller Williams’10th Annual SPCA Benefit on Sunday December 26th

Before the NYE run kicks-off, Keller Williams brings his three-set extravaganza to his hometown of Fredericksburg, VA for his annual holiday concert to benefit the SPCA. To celebrate the ten year anniversary of the event, which will take place on December 26 at the Fredericksburg Field House, Keller has invited local marching band Elby Brass to join the show for set break music. 100% of the concert’s profits will go to support The Fredericksburg Regional SPCA. Less than 3% of The Fredericksburg Regional SPCA’s budget is received from the City of Fredericksburg, forcing the branch to rely almost solely on individual and corporate donations and fundraising events like this. The Fredericksburg Regional SPCA is a “no-kill” shelter whose mission is to tackle the problem of pet overpopulation through education, adoption, rehabilitation and spay/neuter.

• Set I will be reggae, dub and funk versions of Keller favorites with Jay Starling on keys, Mark D on drums and Keller on bass
• Set II will feature the bluegrass stylings of Larry Keel on guitar and his wife Jenny on bass with Keller playing his mini twelve-string (wanna-be mandolin) guitar.
• And Set III will be old school Keller on acoustic guitar with his trademark looped-out dance grooves. Big screen video visuals will be provided by Scott Sunn.

Find out more about Keller’s holiday tour here.

Show Specifics:
Sunday, Dec. 26th, 2010
Fredericksburg Regional SPCA Benefit
Fredericksburg Field House in Fredericksburg, VA
Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm
$25, All ages
www.fredfieldhouse.com

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Mash Pit- Medical Services that Rock for festivals, concerts, & other events!

I recently met the founder of  MASH PIT, Analena Valdes Graham, RN, BSN who currently practices as a critical care nurse at local DC hospital as a medevac nurse.  I was truly inspired by the non-judgmental care for musical concert/festival attendees and artists that her organization offers. Here is what Analena has to say about MASH PIT’s services:

Our company is much like the Peace Patrol and Wavy Gravy of the 60’s in keeping people safe and happy.  Yes, there is EMS, but our group is pretty unique on how we use alternative methods to keeping people safe and capable of going back to the concert or festival without being kicked out or having to go to a hospital.  We recently completed a two day event with Warren Haynes’ Xmas Jam 2009 in Asheville, NC providing on site mobile medical services for the artists, crew and patrons.  You can check out some great pictures from the Christmas Jam HERE shot by Joe Carney with EarthMusic Photos.

Currently we are in negotiations with local venues in the DC area and submitting our proposals to festivals all over the states this summer such as Music on the Mountaintop, Gathering of the Vibes and Bear Creek just to name a few.  This year I am all about introducing MASH PIT  to the music industry: promoters, artists and event patrons.  We are a unique group because we mostly volunteers who are in the crowds roving, caring and watching.  My group consists of nurses, medics, MDs, PAs and even non medical who lend a helping hand, keep someone company or just be that safety net until EMS arrives or transport is completed to the local hospital.  We have a self serve table that, thanks to our sponsors, offers free items such as personal ear protection, bandaids and even some personal items that you may have forgotten at home.  You are greeted with a smile and sometimes even with a bottle of water.

MASH PIT is a non-profit organization that is committed to providing services that will enhance the concert going experience and safety of the patrons and artists.  The result is happy, healthy, and safe people with fewer injuries or medical issues during and after the event.  MASH PIT’s goal is to anticipate and alleviate the potential problems of mass gathering events as they relate to medical problems, resulting in an estimated 75% reduction in liability to the venues.  Having medical on site is key.

In the UK, the concept of “mobile medical care” has been in existence for nine years now, assisting festivals, concerts and artists.  Online reviews such as safeconcerts.com have interviews with artists discussing safety at festivals and concerts touching on the need of improved medical assistance and awareness.  Additionally, MASH PIT supports programs that give back to both the medical community and music education programs.

MASH PIT, Inc. is artist driven. A few musicians got together a few months back and felt there was a need to bring non judgmental quality medical care to their supporters.  We work closely with local EMS providers and hospitals at every venue.  Our roving teams survey and provide the immediate support that sometimes is lacking.  In addition, our Medical Director oversees the care we provide to patrons in the PIT, the artists and production teams.  Often artists, their crews and patrons prefer non governmental medical care from people who understand their unique needs and issues.  Our previous clients such as Warren Haynes, Hard Head Management and Production, Ani DiFranco and the Counting Crows benefited from having us backstage and on the venue floor.

We welcome the opportunity to help promote the health and well-being of event patrons and artists.   Thus, we are always looking for seasoned volunteers: medical such as NREMT-P and NREMT-Basic, First Responders, MDs, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, ER trained and critical care nurses as well as non-medical to assist with the roving teams and work alongside other professionals in the PIT. We offer credit hours for nursing students and are working towards offering continuing education credits in many health disciplines.

Take a peek at our website at www.mash-pit.org and see what we can offer. Let us assist you and your event and management services in celebrating and promoting music and safety at festivals, jams and special events while keeping everyone safe and doing some good for some great charities such as Sweet Relief, Suited for Change and the Wounded Warriors Project.

Follow Mash Pit on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mashpitorg

Follow Mash Pit on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mashpitorg

Also check out this radio interview with Mash Pit:

Interview: Green Arrow Radio’s Walt Misterg Gnu at Wsum.org with Co-Founder Melissa O’Malley, March 2010

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Recent Video Collaboration with Mash Pit  and Scout66.com:

Also,  check out this great post by Wolfgang’s Vault that also features Scout66 and Mash Pit: A Big Happy Live Music community

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Archive: PhilanthroPEAK wraps filming with a six-hour multimedia extravaganza March 20th at the Diana Wortham Theatre

Raising awareness for the cause — and the arts, and the music

PhilanthroPEAK wraps filming with a six-hour multimedia extravaganza

by Dane Smith in Vol. 16 / Iss. 34 on 03/17/2010

Mountain Xpress

http://www.mountainx.com/ae/2010/031710raising_awareness_for_the_cause

Last year, Chris Gaspar had an inspired idea: to spotlight the diverse and thriving philanthropic movement in Asheville through the eyes of local artists, musicians, business people and activists. The result: PhilanthroPEAK, a documentary highlighting the efforts of local outreach programs and the people who drive them. The hope, Gaspar says, is not only to raise awareness for the various causes, but also to introduce Asheville to a national audience.

Now, with the shooting phase (which has been underway for about a year) drawing to a close, Concepts4Charity is hosting a six-hour fundraiser — PhilanthroPEAK Live — at the Diana Wortham Theatre, featuring live music (Aaron Price with Kellin Watson, Woody Wood, Jar-e, Underhill Rose, The Secret B-Sides and Jenny Greer of Jen and the Juice), comedians Scotch Tomedy, visual artists, theatrical performances, interactive displays from the Bob Moog Foundation and a ceramics demonstration by local author and artist Shay Amber. Local nonprofits will also be on hand with information about their organizations. Basically, says Gaspar, this is the “capstone event,” complete with film crews on hand to capture the entire evening.

Now, with the shooting phase (which has been underway for about a year) drawing to a close, Concepts4Charity is hosting a six-hour fundraiser — PhilanthroPEAK Live — at the Diana Wortham Theatre, featuring live music (Aaron Price with Kellin Watson, Woody Wood, Jar-e, Underhill Rose, The Secret B-Sides and Jenny Greer of Jen and the Juice), comedians Scotch Tomedy, visual artists, theatrical performances, interactive displays from the Bob Moog Foundation and a ceramics demonstration by local author and artist Shay Amber. Local nonprofits will also be on hand with information about their organizations. Basically, says Gaspar, this is the “capstone event,” complete with film crews on hand to capture the entire evening.

The film itself features many of those artists, performing and speaking about causes they support. PhilanthroPEAK Live headliner Kellin Watson says she’s grateful for the opportunity to raise awareness for such a wide range of causes, two of which are especially close to her heart.

“I’ve always been a big supporter of breast cancer awareness,” Watson says. “I’ve lost a friend, and then both my grandmothers had breast cancer, so that was something that was always important to me. And also, the music in public schools programs are something that I’m always behind, because there was such a cut in funding in the last eight years. And that’s what Concepts4Charity seems to be about, putting it back into schools.”

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Read the full article here: http://www.mountainx.com/ae/2010/031710raising_awareness_for_the_cause

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