Grand Hallway ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Over the last year with Drew Grow’s accident, stolen gear seemingly every week and my own medical mishaps, I’ve witnessed first hand some incredible outpouring of support and organization by local musicians and music fans. This Saturday friends and fans are coming together again to support a friend in need, Mark Giese, who suffered a stroke at age 33. Mark, luckily, survived the stroke but only to spend weeks in the ICU, to have months of rehabilitation and treatment ahead of him and, see if this sounds familiar, without health insurance. The bills Mark will face after this are staggering, so his friends from Grand Hallway and The Maldives are coming together to host a benefit in his honor this Saturday at Columbia City Theater with The Soft Starts and Outside Alcatraz, a local band which called it quits in 2004 featuring members of Sleepy Eyes of Death and Grand Hallway.

Saturday you say? Shit. There are approximately 30 shows I’d like to attend that night. Well, if you’d like to still contribute to the cause, because let’s be honest, we could all be there tomorrow, you’re in luck. Along with the great benefit concert there’s also a Silent Auction featuring items like signed posters by Frida Clements (autographs by Rufus Wainwright, Gillian Welch and Swell Season), a rare Velvet Underground box set signed by Doug Yule, studio time at Studio Litho (where the likes of The Maldives, Grand Hallway, The Head and The Heart and Lemolo have recorded), as well as original artwork and jewelry by Mark’s talented friends. This Silent Auction starts at 4pm, well before your other concert commitments should start calling.

A Benefit for Mark Giese featuring:
Grand Hallway, The Maldives, Soft Starts and Outside Alcatraz
Saturday September 24th at Columbia City Theater
Doors at 9pm / 21 + / $10

Both these bands have sold out Columbia City Theater before, so if you want to see the show and contribute to the cause, you might want to get your tickets now.