Community members can dance for social action Thursday night at the Wild Duck Music Hall, when Nimbus, a band comprised of three former University students, plays a free benefit show to gather donations for Food for Lane County.
Inspiration Glass, a local glass art company, is sponsoring the show, which begins at 9 p.m. with Raging Family, a group of local DJs.
“We are excited to throw a free concert,” said Nimbus guitarist Mike Slavin. Slavin collaborated with bassist Scott DeWitt and drummer Josh Damon to create the band, which has been showing up on the local music scene since its formation eight months ago.
“Lately we focus on jam rock,” Slavin said. “But we draw from rock and roll, jazz, blues and funk.”
The trio has produced their own repertoire of songs and cover artists such as Talking Heads, Aretha Franklin and Jimi Hendrix.
Organizers say anyone interested should head to the Wild Duck with a can of food and their dancing shoes.
“It’s community-based goodness through music,” said University student David DeWitt, an environmental studies major and the brother of Nimbus’ bassist. DeWitt worked with Inspiration Glass to coordinate the festivities.
This “goodness” has spread to Holy Cow Cafe and Friendly Street Market, community establishments that have donated door prizes for the show, and Indigo Lighting Design from Portland, which contributed a lighting setup for the evening.
The event kicks off a busy summer for Food for Lane County.
Along with its regular programming, which includes distribution to over 100 sites in the county, volunteers at Food for Lane County are planning summer food programs and fundraising events.
Christine Puetz, development director at Food for Lane County, said the group’s summer lunch program begins in July.
“This provides nutritious lunches five days a week for hungry children at 47 sites,” she said. “It is the largest program in the state.”
These free lunches supply children with 50 to 75 percent of their needed nutrition, she said.
In addition, the three Food for Lane County gardens, which include a youth tract, are expected to yield between 40,000 to 50,000 pounds of food this summer. Food for Lane County is also planning its first walk-a-thon, the Million Miles Walk, to be held in August. The event, which is an effort to gain money for hunger relief, will kick off in the EWEB Plaza and move through Alton Baker Park.
“Volunteers are needed any day of the week,” Puetz said, referring to the list of programs Food for Lane County plans to delve into this summer. Those people interested in helping the organization can call volunteer coordinator Sheyla Norte at 343-2822.