Local Punk/Folk goddess Penelope Houston is playing a benefit for Music In Schools Today (MuST) at the Café du Nord on Monday Sept. 8th. MuST is a San Francisco non-profit organization supporting music programs in public schools and helps over 10,000 kids every year get at least a semblance of the music education we pre-Prop 13 fogies enjoyed. A portion of the evening’s proceeds will also go to the Claremont Middle School Band & Orchestra from Oakland. If you’re planning on making the scene they’re accepting donations of instruments in usable condition for MuST’s Adopt an Instrument Program which has distributed much needed items to over 100 schools and community centers. So not only is the former Avengers frontlady helping with cold hard cash, she’s donating her childhood violin as well: “It was my introduction to playing music but became an instrument of torture for me. Perhaps I should have started with something more tuneful, like piano or guitar.”
Luckily, Houston eventually discovered how to write her own dark folk/pop songs on June Carter’s instrument of choice, the autoharp, sometimes with the help of co-writers like Chuck Prophet, Billy Joe Armstrong, Steve Jones, Charlotte Caffey, and most frequently guitarist Pat Johnson, who performs with her band Sept 8th. The show will feature six new songs and the addition of noir-folk master Jeffrey Luck Lucas to the line up on cello.
Also on the bill is Colin Gilmore, son of legendary Austin songwriter Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Colin describes his music as “West Texas-style rock, with a country/punk/psychedelic/pop edge.”
Houston is also donating 100% of sales of select CDs on her website to raise even more money for this fabulous cause. Click here to do the right thing and get some great music while yer doin’ it. My favorite of the lot is The Whole World where you can get the original versions of these two classics that were re-recorded for her major label debut Cut You:
If you can’t make it out on the 8th but still want to help you can donate directly to MuST right here.
