Gimme Shelter finds biggest bands, designers helping out Haiti

WHAT: Gimme Shelter: A benefit for Haiti
FEATURING: Solid Gold, Mark Mallman, Peter Wolf Crier, Zoo Animal, DJs Jimmy2Times and Mike 2600
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 6, 6 p.m.
WHERE: First Avenue, 701 First Ave. N.
TICKETS: $12

The Haiti benefits are popping up in all flavors lately, from yoga-themed to art sales, but the Gimme Shelter benefit has so many features that we’re going to give it the lofty label “not-to-miss.”
The bands being featured are undeniably hip and the charities involved are twofold: The Red Cross Haiti Relief & Development Fund and Architecture for Humanity, the former providing direct crisis relief while the latter focuses on long-term rebuilding efforts.
On top of the tuneage, breakout illustrator Chuck U and designers/screen printers Anthem Heart will occupy the merchandise booth, selling their wares for the cause. And the charitable pièce de résistance? A Solid Gold-provided autographed guitar signed by all of the involved acts.
A&E caught up with some of the players behind the shindig.

Andrea Swensson – City Pages music editor
How’d it get started?
It was kinda a brainstorm between myself and our web editor, Jen Boyles. We’ve got all these great connections with bands we’ve written about, like we could totally take advantage of that and put something together.
So we got in touch with First Ave. and it all started to fall into place. We made a list of bands that were kind of our dream bands.

How many people do you expect to turn out?
We’re hoping to sell it out. I think Soild Gold has a good potential to sell a lot of tickets. And Mark Mallman, too.

What’s the money goal?
I think we calculated that if the show sells out we’d be somewhere near the $8,000 or $9,000 range. That’s only the tickets; we also have some fundraising things that are going to be happening at the same time.

Mark Mallman – Musician
Co-headliner Mark Mallman’s latest LP, “Invincible Criminal” borrows heavily from ‘70s piano rock and received high marks from local press. Boasting absurd outfits (his alter ego is the dreaded “Mallwolf”) and upbeat melodies, Mallman’s antic-filled live set will keep things lively amidst a somber backdrop.

What are you expecting for the show?

It’s fun to give money to charities, but it’s more fun when you get something back. So, it’s like, kick-ass. Everyone wins in this situation. I win because I get to play for a bunch of people and they win because they get to see a show.
It’s gonna be killer, dude, it’s gonna be a [expletive] blast. It’s February and February is a time when not a lot of national acts come through town. So we get to use the main room on a Saturday; there aren’t many stages more fun to play than that one in the country or in the world that I’ve played.

Zac Coulter of Solid Gold
Local big-shots, Solid Gold was recently featured on MTV2 and is flirting with the national indie spotlight. Their addictive electro rock is hauntingly catchy. Ripe with atmospheric synths and dreamlike beats, they create a funky, neo-Minneapolis sound. Their newest EP, “Synchronize,” was released on Jan. 12.

What are your expectations?
Hopefully we’ll raise a [expletive]-ton of money. What’s cool, the parent company, Village Voice, is going to match whatever we raise. Also, Matt [Locher, of Solid Gold is making a new T-shirt which he will be selling and all profits will be going to Haiti.

Peter Pisano of Peter Wolf Crier
Peter Wolf Crier, Peter Pisano and Brian Moen’s gritty folk project, stole the show at First Ave.’s recent “Best New Bands” night. The group’s cerebral, dense and earthy sound will be a departure from their highly danceable counterparts, but their “Best New Bands” performance last month proved they can work the main room.

Played a benefit show before?
We’re only doing benefit shows this month. It’s easy because it’s a cause I believe in very much. I don’t know what else I can do. You can text money, send aid. This is a very clear, easy way for me to do something I love and help at the same time. It’s almost like a celebration, but you almost have to be keenly aware that it also has to be really thoughtful.

Holly Newsom of Zoo Animal
Zoo Animal is a minimalist three-piece, comprised of just a guitar, drum and bass. With simple production, their sound is both intimate and charismatic. Their album, “Young Blood,” released in 2008, [ID18] manages to capture the atmosphere of their intimate live shows.

How do you hope to help out?
I think that what Americans can do is give money. It’s such a complicated situation. I think the best we can do is get funds there. Money mobilizes people. This fundraiser will mobilize people.

DJ Jimmy2Times
While crunk and hyphy may be trends of the past, DJ Jimmy2Times manages to combine the two into what’s called “Cryphy”. He combines new and classic hits into cranked-up, dance floor-annihilating club bangers. The main DJ of First Avenue’s dance night, Get Cryphy, 2Times’ mixes breathe new life into aging styles.

So what’s this show all about?
The situation down there is just horrible and I felt like I wanted to do something to contribute. This will give me a platform to do some other stuff besides the hip-hop and dance stuff I’m used to and it gives me a chance to make a difference too. I threw Trick Daddy and P.O.S. together and it ended up working out.