"Covers to Fight Cancer"

Thursday, April 26 @ 40 Watt Club

originally published April 25, 2007

Angelina Bellebuono

The Bearfoot Hookers

Benefit and event season in Athens comes 'round every spring, with nice weather spurring your Boybutantes, your Twilights, your Hot Corner Festivals, your Ampses for Stampses, among others. April in particular piles the plate high as organizers scramble to capitalize on students still in town, and those eager to raise money for worthy causes often have to work triple-time and come up with unique ideas to draw attention to their events. So it is with "Covers to Fight Cancer," a benefit concert organized by Steve LaBate, a musician, former Athenian, sometime Bearfoot Hooker and current associate editor at Paste magazine in Decatur.

"My uncle Anthony Lucido passed away last year due to complications from pancreatic cancer," says LaBate. "For my birthday this year, I wanted to do something in his honor. So I decided to put this benefit together. The event itself doubles as my birthday party, so even though this is for a serious cause, it's gonna be a party."

The event will feature a huge number of Athens and Atlanta bands each performing three cover songs, with the night culminating in a collaborative surprise jam. What bands? Look for Southern Bitch, Venice is Sinking, Hope For Agoldensummer, Warm in the Wake, The Bearfoot Hookers, The Vinyl Strangers, Summer Hymns' Zachary Gresham, Ken Will Morton, Attractive Eighties Women, Andrew Nelson, Gutshot & Thirsty, Steve LaBate & the Fears of Commitment and others to be announced. Each artist will play songs by at least three different artists, and some of the expected tunes come courtesy of Bob Dylan, The Traveling Wilburys, Morphine, The Minutemen, The Misfits, Dolly Parton, The Pixies, The Beatles, Stones… even songs from the likes of Neutral Milk Hotel and Masters of the Hemisphere may pop in. Tickets cost $10, with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.

Chris Hassiotis