Dave Alvin Mounts Labor Day Cancer Benefit

Not just any dog and pony show - literally, the First Annual Dog & Pony Show

By Fred Mills

On Labor Day Weekend (Aug. 30 - Sept. 1), Safari Sam's in Hollywood, CA will host three days of music, art and festivities to benefit four members from the musical community who have been struck with cancer - Chris Gaffney (who passed away recently), Duane Jarvis, Candye Kane and Drac Conley.  Billed as Music Menagerie Presents the First Annual Dog & Pony Show - In memory of Chris Gaffney, the event should ring true in the minds of anyone who is a musician or knows someone who plays music: the cost of personal health insurance in America is through the roof, and as you probably know, being a working and touring musician isn't exactly like being part of a union and enjoying some of the financial safety nets such an organization provides.

The mighty Dave Alvin, a close friend of all four musicians, will be spearheading the Dog & Pony Show's performance schedule, appearing with the Blasters, the Knitters and his own Dave Alvin & the Guilty Men. A full itinerary and additional details are listed below, or you can go to one of these websites for more info:

www.Myspace.com/musicmenageriedogandponyshow

www.musicmenagerie.net/dogandponyshow

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A letter from Dave Alvin:

Dear friends & fans:

I'd like to let you know about a 3 day benefit called the Dog & Pony Show that some close friends and I have put together for this coming Labor Day weekend, Aug 30, 31 and Sept 1.

The past year has been very hard health wise for many members of the California music scene. Four friends/musicians of ours (western soul singer Chris Gaffney, superb guitarist Duane Jarvis, blues diva Candye Kane, psycho-billy hot-rodder Drac Conley) were all diagnosed with different forms of cancer and need our help to deal with the expense of their various treatments. Instead of putting on four different benefits, I thought it might make more sense to do one BIG one featuring many of the bands and musicians that have played with Chris, Duane, Candye and Drac through the years. Thus, the Dog And Pony Show was born.

Seeing how my late friend (and spiritual advisor), Chris Gaffney, always referred our gigs together as "dog and pony shows," I thought that his descriptive phrase would be a perfect name for the benefit (though he never did tell me which one of us was the dog and which one was the pony). Sadly, as many of you may know, Chris passed away recently but the good news is that Duane, Candye and Drac are doing fine and hanging tough through this rough time. Without going into a long dissertation on the state of health care in our country, I would like to point out that they still need financial help with their treatments and recoveries. All the money we raise at the Dog And Pony Show will be going directly to them (or in Chris's case, to his survivors) to cover their medical expenses.

If you are in California this Labor Day weekend, or even remotely nearby, I'd like to personally invite you to come to the shows. There will be great music, art, drinks, dancing, barbeque, some memories, some laughs, a couple of tears and a roomful of love. I'll see you there.  - Dave Alvin 

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August 30 - 6pm doors-2am

The Knitters
Tex & The Horseheads
Joe Wood Sings TSOL w/ special guests
Ruby Friedman Orchestra
Paging Beto 

Aug 31 - 5pm doors-2am

Dave Alvin & The Guilty Men
Peter Case
Hacienda Brothers
The Cold Hard Facts
Slim Cessna's Auto Club
BBQ at 5pm

Sept 1 - 3pm doors-9:30pm

The Blasters
Big Sandy & the fly-rite boys
Mike Stinson
Eddie Baytos & The Nervis Bros
Levi Dexter
Red Meat
BBQ at 5pm - Last chance to bid

Art Auction includes works donated from:

Bad Otis   http://www.myspace.com/badotislink
La Luz de Jesus Gallery  http://www.laluzdejesus.com/
CoproNason Gallery  http://copronason.com/
Vintage Punk Rock Photos by Theresa K.  http://www.punkturns30.com/
Edward Colver  http://www.edwardcolver.com/
Beat Eye Media  http://www.beateyemedia.com/
Travis Somerville
Chris Rohloff/Grant Rohloff http://www.grantrohloff.com/
Scott Angle  http://www.scottangle.com/
Brad Benedict
Beth Herzhaft Photography  http://www.herzco.com/home-nosub.php
Steve Olson
Joe Wood  http://www.joewoodmusicandart.com
Hudson Marquez
Lou Beach  http://www.loubeach.com/
BKHEEL  http://bkheel.com/index.htm
Liz Orozco Photography  http://www.hotdamnphotography.com/
John Cormack
Trisha Portella-Wright  http://www.suspendedimages.net/
Skellramics  http://www.skellramics.com/
Lisa Moneypenny http://lisamoneypennymurray.artspan.com/

Also auctioning privately donated limited edition prints:

*Jim Marshall print of Buddy Guy & Jr. Wells
*Lynn Goldsmith print of Bob Dylan
*Gibson Guitars (donated a guitar that will be autographed by bands at the
event)
*Shamrock Tattoo gift certificates


Sponsors & other Donors include:

Indie 103
Indie Printing! 
Hurley
Zhost Internet Solutions
Safari Sams
BRAT
Soap Plant/WACKO
Hellkats L.A.
Babygirl, Inc.
SIR
LucyB
Skellramics
Something Weird Video
Paniolo Productions