Rick’s Cafe will support the Starkville chapter of Red Cross by hosting a hurricane relief benefit concert Tuesday. All proceeds will go to hurricane evacuees and other victims of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation who are temporarily residing in the community.
Scheduled to perform at the relief concert are two bands familiar to Starkville’s music scene: U.S and Kyote Wylde. Doors will open at 8 p.m. and musical performances will kick off at 9 p.m. Each band will take the stage individually but U.S and Kyote Wylde will perform together near the end as a closer to the event.
A $5 minimum donation will be accepted at the doors, but monetary donations have no limit.
Rick Welch, owner of Rick’s Cafe, said the collaboration of the venue and the two bands was the idea of U.S bandmate Kelly Naggy.
“The lead singer of U.S was actually the one who contacted me and initiated this,” Welch said. “Two of my best bands are playing for free, and I appreciate them being a part of it. I am glad to be a part of it as well,” he said.
Naggy said the hurricane’s destruction has effected the entire region, both economically and emotionally.
“We all live in the South, and it really hits home,” Naggy said. “These people are our neighbors and it is an honor to help them out.”
Members of Kyote Wylde, including MSU alumnus Jason Miller, said they feel similarly about the concert.
“We think it is a great idea,” Miller said. “Those people really need all they can get. Rick is always good about lining things up and doing stuff for people,” he said.
“All the guys are really excited about it, and we will actually be in Jackson the next night at Headliners doing the same thing with U.S, Spendid Chaos and Full Moon Circuit for the hurricane victims,” Miller said.
Aside from monetary donations, Rick’s will accept many types of donations.
“We will also be accepting food items, clothes and whatever else you want to give,” Welch said. “There will be bins set up at the entrance, and we will also be selling event T-shirts.”
All donations received at the benefit concert will be given to the local Red Cross chapter, which will in turn go directly to hurricane evacuees staying in Starkville.
“A lot of people are staying in Starkville,” Welch said. “What the Red Cross needs the most is money so they can go buy what they need for the people who need it.”
Welch said the effects of Katrina have impacted the venue greatly, as some of the employees’ families have lost their homes.
“You often hear of tragedies throughout the world, but [Hurricane Katrina] has directly affected our friends, family members and employees,” Welch said. “I have employees whose parents have lost homes and friends who have lost everything.”
Hurricane relief concerts and other types of relief efforts are happening across the nation, and this is an opportunity for MSU students and members of the community to lend a helping hand to the local community and the evacuees occupying Starkville.
“I am really excited about coming to this concert and helping those that were effected by Hurricane Katrina,” junior Mallory Moulder said. “I think it is great that this is a way that I can help.”
For information on the event, visit www.rickscafe.net.