BY ROD HANSEN
It’s only rock ’n’ roll, but sometimes loud and boisterous music can serve a higher purpose.
Such was the case at the Sexual Assault Awareness Benefit Concert on April 27, when a trio of local bands cranked up their amps to benefit the YWCA of Manchester.
“April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and we wanted to do something to raise money for the cause,” said Zach Morris, who organized the event as president of the local teen community service group, The Revolution.
Nearly $500 was raised from the concert, which will aid the YWCA of Manchester’s support for survivors of sexual assault, said YWCA Education Outreach Coordinator Maggie Wells.
These services include a 24-hour crisis line, Emily’s Place domestic violence shelter, plus support for local churches that work with sexual assault survivors and related causes.
“It’s so great The Revolution approached us to do this, and Zach (Morris) really took the initiative to make this happen,” Wells said.
The benefit concert took place at Crispin’s House, a teen center at 27 Main St. that hosts a monthly concert series for local bands.
“The Revolution asked us if they could have the benefit here, and we were happy to have them do it,” said Dave Greiner, the concert program director for Crispin’s House.
The idea of staging a benefit concert at Crispin’s House made sense, given its popularity as a venue for local talent, said Revolution faculty advisor Jess Brown.
“You had a group of students who wanted to help with sexual assault support services, which is a major issue. Concerts are a staple (at Crispin’s House) anyway, and The Revolution is using it as a forum to convey an important message,” said Brown, a Goffstown High School math teacher who also coaches varsity field hockey and lacrosse.
Once the idea of a benefit concert had been agreed upon, Morris enlisted Goffstown senior Ben Macon to secure a list of bands for the show.
Macon is the concert organizer for Crispin’s House and singer/guitarist for the local band The Yellow Team, and drew on his knowledge of local talent to secure acts for the concert.
Bands featuring Goffstown High School students at the concert included The Yellow Team and heavy metal group No Cause For Alarm in their first-ever appearance, as well as the Manchester pop-punk outfit The Stompin’ Charlies.
No Cause For Alarm bass guitarist Mark McCallum, a sophomore, said he was excited to perform as the evening’s first act, and also looked forward to marking his band’s concert debut.
“I can’t wait to start. This is a great place for us to have our first show,” said McCallum, sporting a My Chemical Romance T-shirt and practicing bass runs before the concert began.
Jimmy Assad, a sophomore who is friends with many members of No Cause For Alarm, said he hasn’t attended previous Crispin’s House concerts but came to support his friends.
“I’ve invited as many people as I could to this show,” Assad said.
Morris said he also advertised the concert on the social networking site Facebook and through fliers at school, as well as through word of mouth and instant messaging.
“People know about the concerts at Crispin’s House anyway, and we wanted to get the word out because this is for a good cause,” Morris said, as groups of teenagers entered an event where $5 admission would get them an evening’s worth of entertainment, while bringing aid and attention to an issue that affects many of their lives.