Walking around downtown Raleigh one day, Eric Reed, a junior in civil engineering, passed Amplified Art, one of many galleries at the City Market shopping complex. Curious to find a venue for a concert idea, Eric entered the quaint gallery to inquire about concert bookings. That day, he left the gallery with a concert booked, and all that was left to to was plan the show.
”I’ve always been into music, and I recently found out about this inspirational charity called Plant: Uganda,” Reed said. “For the past few months, I had been wanting to hold a concert to benefit the charity, so after I found the venue the wheels started to roll.”
Reed, a guitarist and singer-songwriter, discovered the Plant: Uganda charity organization through his church Vintage 21. The project sponsors students from the slum of Wabigalo, just outside of the country’s capital of Kampala.
After hearing the narrative of American ex-pat Rosalie Simcoe who sold her house and car to move to Uganda and work on improving education, Reed was inspired to contribute to the cause. Soon after landing a venue, he recruited musician friends to raise money for the cause.
Plant: Uganda is a child sponsorship program which pays for underprivileged students to have uniforms, books and attend school. A lack of education are chronic global problems, but the slum of Wabigalo is especially in need of help
According to Rachel Gross, project organizer and member of Vintage 21 Church, more than half of Uganda’s population is younger than 14 years old. The service project is geared to support this demographic.
“Plant: Uganda’s primary vehicle for helping meet the needs of the community is a through a child sponsorship type program,” Gross said. “Many of the children in the Wabigalo slum are orphans and refugees who cannot afford basic necessities, much less the cost of attending school. By offering the financial ability for children to attend school, we hope to give them safe havens during the school day, warm meals, clothes, friendship, [and] community.”
Although Reed is not able to pack up and leave for Uganda, he sees the benefit concert as a way to keep things in a positive light. Thursday at 7:00 p.m., Reed and other local musicians will play an acoustic selection at Amplified Art.
“This concert is the best way for me to personally help,” Reed said. “I’ve been involved with music for a long time, and I love music, and I’ve had the privilege here in Raleigh of meeting a lot of people with that same passion.”
The performances consist of three student bands, and, according to Reed, the music will be a mix of Americana, folk and alternative.
Mark Tillman, a senior in marketing, is in an acoustic duo, Wind and Willow, with his wife Sarah. They will play at the concert, will be selling their first CD and all the proceeds will go towards the charity.
“It’s a four song EP called Root,” Tillman said. “All the proceeds will be going to Plant Uganda. My wife and I hope to visit Uganda some day. Us getting money from the music isn’t a huge factor.”
According to Reed, the bands will rotate their performances, so no one will miss any particular singer/band if they come late.
Additionally, there will be a spoken word poetry performance by Tim Reavis, a junior in psychology.
“I’m more on the contemporary side, flow of consciousness,” Reavis said regarding his poetry. “I try to keep it light hearted. I’m not a big fan of keeping it mellow dramatic. About the performance, it’s not a thing to coerce people to listen to our stuff. We’re trying to do something good with the things that we love.”
Along with the music and poetry, Benelux Café will donate coffee to the event, and Raleigh-based Big Boss Brewery will sell beer.
“It’s great to get this community of people working together to contribute to the event,” Reed said. “The coffee will be sold for a dollar a cup and all the proceeds will go to the charity. Big Boss is considering donating some of its profits to Plant: Uganda too.”
Reed focused on the attitude of the concert, saying the point is not to guilt people into contributing, but to celebrate local culture while working toward the goals of the charity.
“Nevertheless, it’s going to be a great concert, so why not help out the charity?” Reed said. “And we want people to understand that their ticket is going completely to the charity, not anyone else.”
Concert Information:
Ticket Cost: $6 in advance and $8 at the door. Contact Amplified Art to buy tickets in advance at 919-745-1238 and visit them at 224 East Martin Street, Raleigh, NC 27601.
Bands:
Wind and Willow
Troubel
Alabama Death Walk
http://www.reverbnation.com/windandwillow
http://www.myspace.com/alabamadeathwalk
Extra information at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=148129148583583
