The Aug.18-19 concerts in Northampton will aid rural school systems in New England.
Staind frontman Aaron Lewis with children who will attend the newly formed private R.H. Conwell Education Center in Worthington at the Pines Theater in Look Park during the Aug. 14, 2010 concert to benefit Lewis' It Takes a Community Foundation.Staind lead singer Aaron Lewis has announced the dates and lineup for his second annual “It Takes a Community Foundation” benefit concerts.
The two-day event will take place Friday, August 19, and Saturday, August 20, at the Pines Theater at Look Park in Northampton.
The hard rockin' frontman has recently had success as a country singer and the lineup reflects his diverse musical tastes.
Friday’s show will feature country music performances from Rhett Akins, Frank Hannon (of Tesla) and Alexa Carter.
Saturday's concert will rock with Tesla, Corey Taylor (of Slipknot and Stone Sour), Lo-Pro and Otan Vargas.
Lewis will perform at both shows. (Rumors have circulated of a Staind appearance in recent weeks, but there has been no indication the Springfield rockers will appear. Staind is expected to release its seventh studio album, "Seven," in the fall).
Single-day tickets for the benefit concerts range in price from $45 to $78. They go on sale on June 24. VIP meet and greet packages are also available at www.dysfunctionalstaind.com. All proceeds from the shows will go directly to It Takes a Community Foundation.
The non-profit foundation was founded by Lewis and his wife, Vanessa, who reside in Worthington.
According to a statement released by Lewis' camp, the charity’s focus is "reviving rural communities throughout the greater New England area. The charity works with local leaders and community organizations who have firsthand knowledge of the needs of their communities. It strives to raise funds and support these community groups who strengthen, engage and enrich the communities they are in, sustain diminishing public services, and provide assistance to communities in crisis. They work to unite resources and ideas to help people and communities create a better tomorrow."
Lewis ha said he was inspired to create the charity after his local school district closed three of the five area elementary schools because of budget cuts. He used the money he earned from his performances, as well as profits from the first benefit concert held on Aug.14, 2010 at Look Park, and opened the private R.H. Conwell Education Center. The foundation funded everything from desks, books and school supplies to the teachers’ salaries.
“My family has been directly affected by school closures in our rural area due to state budget cuts,” Lewis has said. “We have seen firsthand the necessity for smaller communities to have a voice and to determine their own local needs and priorities. Our foundation strives to do just that - to build a collective of local community members and empower them to take charge of their own community’s future.”