Bands play benefit for new 'space' downtown

Concert raises $200 for volunteer, political support group

Sometimes the best way to promote nonviolence and peace is with a little loud music. At least that was the idea at Saturday night's Food Not Bombs benefit concert at "The Space," a newly opened community center on Main Street.

Cramped under a banner reading "no bombs, no racism, no capitalism," local bands The K-Word, One Day Forever, Luck Be A Lady and River City High performed for a few dozen tightly packed fans.

Food Not Bombs is an international network of egalitarianism volunteers who serve free, hot vegetarian food to low-income people and offer political support.

The Space is the newest location for the local chapter of Food Not Bombs. Approximately $200 in donations and proceeds from the show went to benefit the organization. The remaining funds went to cover the travel expenses of the bands from out of the area.

"We're a local band and we thought it was more fitting that as much of the profits as possible go to such a good organization that helps the less fortunate," said junior Billy Sorrentino, guitarist and lead singer of Luck Be A Lady.

By giving away free food to people in need in public spaces, Food Not Bombs hopes to directly dramatize the level of hunger in this country and the surplus of food being wasted, according to the group's Web site www.webcom.com/~peace /PEACHTREE/stuff/stuff/whatis.html. The organization is committed to the use of non-violent direct action to change society.

The K-Word played first, performing music from its CD American Beats. The five-piece rock band from Roanoke was then followed by its touring partner, One Day Forever.

One Day, a Richmond-based, indie-rock band provided a great deal of energy and inspiration.

Despite injuring his knee during the first song, singer Brian Owen continued to play, talking with the audience about both the Food Not Bombs organization and the motivation behind the band's songs. Owen dedicated one song to all the girls in the audience, encouraging them to "see yourself as beautiful" and not to listen to the media or other messages that tells them how they should feel about themselves.

Luck Be a Lady took the stage after One Day Forever. Sorrentino described Lucky Be a Lady as a "power-pop, Beatles-meets-Weezer-type band." Luck performed songs from its newly released CD/EP The World is our Runway, including "Taken for Granite" and "Hello My Sweet, Goodbye."

Junior Blaine O'Brien, Luck's bass player, organized the event, and being a Harrisonburg-based band may have provided Luck Be a Lady with some home-court comfort.

"These shows are a hidden gem," said junior Emersson Barillas, guitarist for Luck Be a Lady.

"[They're] small and happening under people's noses." Barillas added that these types of shows attract an underground following.

"We're gonna take fun to the limit," Barillas said. "We're just guys who like to have fun, and we want our friends and fans to have fun, too."

Closing the show was River City High. The Richmond rock band's music mixed classic-rock with pop punk. River City is known for its high-energy performances. The band just released its first full-length debut, River City High Won't Turn Down, in September. The band currently is touring nationally, to be followed by a European tour.

All four bands did a great job of entertaining the small but attentive audience. Junior Philip Whitfield said he was excited to see shows like this in Harrisonburg.

"[This is] exactly what Harrisonburg needed; a nice space for kids and others to express and enjoy themselves."

The Space holds Food Not Bombs meetings every Thursday at 8 p.m. and free meals are served every Friday at 4 p.m. The Space is located at 181 South Main St., across from the Massanutten Regional Library.