INDY'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Bands assume alter egos for benefit

Touch and Go
Tribute Show
Saturday, April 29, 9:30 p.m.
Second Story, Bloomington

This weekend marks the third edition of the MCHA Animal Shelter Fund Benefit show in Bloomington. Several regional favorites will be fronting as nationally known acts for the event; 100 percent of the proceeds go to the cause.

Taking the Second Story stage Saturday night will be the Coke Dares as Urge Overkill, Sump Pumps as Brainiac, Push-Pull as Shellac and Trem Fu in the role of the Jesus Lizard. This year’s theme is the roster for Chicago indie label Touch & Go.

Creator and organizer Mary Williams explained her involvement in the show, saying, “Three years ago, my cat needed surgery and I couldn’t afford it. The original [benefit] was to raise money to help pay. The event became so big, and I wanted to extend it. I researched the different funds available that would go directly to benefit the animals at the shelter and came up with [this] fund.”

More specifically, those funds raised will help pay for unbudgeted expenses, supplies, vet care and medicine for the over 5,000 animals that enter the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter each year.

Finding bands to play the charity event free of charge was easy enough; several of the groups have played the event before. The Coke Dares and Sump Pumps have played all three shows, and Trem Fu returns for the second year.

Mary noted the bands “have a soft heart for animals and always step up to the plate and take on the challenge of learning new material.” She added, laughing, “And occasionally I beg and plead.”

Touch & Go, who provided this year’s theme, and Landlocked Music have also contributed give-aways for a drawing. Tickets for the drawing will be available separately, and all of those proceeds will go to the fund, as well.

Touch & Go will also be contributing 50 CD samplers of their artists to be given free to the first 50 people through the door. The easiest way to scoop up one of the samplers is to be on time — 9:30 p.m., with a five-spot in hand for admission to go to the cause.