Fresh indie acts fill the bill and raise funds for kids

It all started in 2004. Greg Berman was a medical student at the Indiana School of Medicine, where graduate students study and learn how to fix the rest of us. The monotony of school made him want to do something more, so he sought out a venture to raise money for the Riley Children’s Hospital through promoting music.

“The first two years of medical school is just books, so Rock for Riley gave myself and other medical students an opportunity to help others,” Berman says. “You don’t get to do much of that your first few years of medical school.”

Initially conceived as a way to both raise funds for Riley as well as highlight up-and-coming bands, the first Rock for Riley concert featured Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and was hosted at the Vogue in 2004. Considered a great success, the event raised $25,000 for Riley Children’s Hospital. But that was just the beginning.

Since the inaugural Rock for Riley, Berman and his team, referred to as “the band” (six committee heads and two presidents) and “the roadies” (other medical student helpers), have had two more concert successes. These included Wilco’s sold-out performance at the Murat in 2005 and the most recent concert in November 2006, where a crowd of 1,700 My Morning Jacket fans and Riley supporters filled Clowes Memorial Hall. Both events raised over $200,000 individually, surpassing Rock for Riley’s initial goal of $200,000 and prompting a new five-year goal of $1 million.

Berman, who will soon begin his residency in Indiana and later spend the last three of four years at the University of Colorado, decided to expand the yearly concert into a series of shows.

What once was simply a yearly concert will now also include several shows a month that will help in the cause for Riley Children’s Hospital. The Rock for Riley Showcase Series will take place from now until June in Broad Ripple mainstays, including the Vogue and Spin Nightclub. The series will feature bands that may not be as well-known, but who are definitely up-and-coming musical acts.

“After the first year, we realized we could sell out these events,” Berman says. And they did. “The showcase series goes back to the original vision of bringing less exposed bands from around the country to Indianapolis, and [it] also turns Rock for Riley into a small [non-profit] promotional company during the yearly event’s off-season.”

This series will continue into the future, along with the main yearly concert. Berman says even after he moves to Colorado, he will still be involved with Rock for Riley.

There’s more to Rock for Riley than great bands. The series is also a great cause. Riley is one of the largest hospitals in the country and is considered one of the top pediatric research centers. It’s so well-known and trusted that its beds are often filled to capacity. These music events will help Riley care for its constantly growing number of patients by funding a new inpatient building extension. The new building will include more operating rooms, new state-of-the-art emergency services, a larger newborn intensive care unit, additional rooms and more.

Monday, March 26

Birdmonster
at Spin Nightclub, 10 p.m.
cost TBD

Known for its dynamic stage presence, Birdmonster will sweat out a diverse array of tunes, featuring influences ranging from indie rock to guitar pop, with intricate instrumentals and driving guitar riffs. One thing is for certain: It is a high-energy group not to be missed.

Monday, April 9

The Whigs
Spin Nightclub, 10 p.m.
cost TBD

As one of Rolling Stone’s “bands to watch out for,” the Whigs has also been named for Blender’s No. 1 album in its 2006 Christmas Gift Guide, band of the day on Spin.com (Sept. 20, 2006) and song of the day on NPR (Dec. 4, 2006). Formed out of Athens, Ga., in 2003, the Whigs will bring a sound to Spin compared to indie rockers like the Strokes, with influences of ’60’s pop and ’90s Southern rock.

Tuesday, April 10

Neko Case with Jon Rauhouse
Vogue, 7 p.m., $20

Neko Case, with her beautiful voice and alt-country tinge, is known both for performing in the New Pornographers and for her thriving solo career. She is recommended to fans of Cat Power or Jenny Lewis. This show is destined to sell out.

Monday, April 16

Josh Rouse with Kyle Andrews
Vogue, 7 p.m., $17

Josh Rouse was a military brat who moved throughout the Midwest during his childhood. After college, he moved to Tennessee, where his career as a singer-songwriter took off. His most recent release, Subtítulo, fell in line with his move to Spain, where he has since released an EP with his girlfriend under the moniker She’s Spanish, I’m American. His mollified style and pensive voice will make this a great show.