KNOXVILLE – The crowd at Preservation Pub in Market Square may not sell out like one of U2’s benefit concerts, but University of Tennessee, Knoxville student band members are ready to rock out for a good cause.
At 10 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31, local Knoxville bands will gather at Preservation Pub to perform in a fundraiser concert where all proceeds of the show, such as the three-dollar admission, will go to the American Red Cross.
Plainclothes Tracy, an “artsy-indie rock” band composed of UT students will be one of the bands playing at “Songwriters for Storm Relief.” Pete Stein, Roman Reese and Sydney Grigg & Friends will perform at the fundraiser.
Plainclothes Tracy band members include drummer Eric Grass, history major; lead guitarists Brian Kelly and Jonathan Kahler, both journalism and electronic media majors; and vocalist/guitarist Kym Hawkins, creative writing major. Bassist Charles Blakely Sensenbaugh, music theory major, attends Pellissippi State Community College.
For the storm-relief concert, Plainclothes Tracy will be stripped down to two-fifths of the band—Hawkins and Kelly.
“We don’t have much else to contribute at this time in our lives, but the one thing that we can do is play music for free,” Hawkins said. “It’s a win-win situation, because we’re doing the thing we love to do the most to supply a need in the community.”
The band has played several benefits, including Pellissippi’s Hearts for Haiti benefit last year where they raised money for the American Red Cross.
Preservation Pub frequently coordinates fundraising shows, supporting a different cause every month.
—
CONTACT:
Emma Macmillan, 865-974-9409, emacmill@utk.edu
Amy Blakely, 965-974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu