Our Town Music & Arts Benefit Concert

Music & Arts Benefit Concert for Sandy Hook Elementary School NVAC EMT First Responders.
SHES Graduate to Donate To New Building Construction.

Sandy Hook Elementary School EMT First Responders dispatched from the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps are still coping with the emotional impact and aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Over 25 volunteers were dispatched the day of the tragedy. Although these volunteers are still struggling with emotions of pain, frustration and anger, they continue to help the community. The Ambulance Corps continues to be a destination for many people who make the journey to Newtown. Letters of support line the walls of the ambulance building. As the Corps moves forward in the healing process, members embrace the response from the tragedy. A member of NVAC was recently quoted as saying “I’ve run the tape of that day over and over in my head and nothing can change the loss. It will never make sense and the pain remains. I think the best we can do is to take the love and support that continues to come in and express it outwardly into the community. Hopefully, these expressions can help create an enduring place of peace for those most touched by the tragedy. ”

NVAC was founded in 1940 entirely by public contributions. Today the organization is made up of 70 trained Emergency Medical Technicians who volunteer their time to help others in their community. NVAC is one of the most active volunteer EMS providers in their region with a volume of over 2,200 calls and 30,000 volunteer hours per year. Currently, they are in the planning stages of building a new Ambulance garage that will be located across from the Reed School in Fairfield Hills. As an act of support for this organization and their volunteers who responded to the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, SHES Graduate Caitlin Martin will be hosting a Music & Arts Benefit Concert at Cafe Eclipse in Danbury Connecticut on Friday, February 1st 2013.

Martin who goes by the stage name of Jass Bianchi is teaming up with the area’s local heavy hitters for an explosive night of Music and Arts. Music Coordinator Pam Janutolo of Asbestos Records will be overseeing the coordination of musical acts throughout the course of the night. One of the evening’s performers will be Newtown resident Joe Proc who will be performing his tribute song entitled “Angels Ascend” which was recently broadcasted on CNN.

Nearly all of the performers are hailing from Newtown or have strong ties to the area. The night’s line-up includes Jass Bianchi & HOLi MOLi, Jon Willis, OTIS, Two Fisted Law, Shepherd’s Pie, DJ Mo Niklz, Waking Elliot, Sketch Tha Cataclysm, Emjae, Tony Cankles, Deuce Bug, Political Animals and Brick Records recording artist Blacastan.

Organizer Jass Bianchi is excited about the event and hopeful that it will raise a significant amount of money to help support the EMTs. When asking Bianchi about her thoughts on her current efforts she explained , “Organizing ‘Our Town’ has been beautiful on so many levels. It is allowing me to connect with classmates I haven’t spoken to in years. It is also providing a venue for people to express themselves and take part in a cause they believe in. Newtown harbors many of my wonderful childhood memories and I’m proud to pay it forward and provide an opportunity for fellow Newtowner’s to express themselves.”

Mark Minnok, former President of SoNo Arts Celebration in South Norwalk Connecticut will be heading the boards for the night as the Chief Sound Engineer. Minnok will be leading a team of over 20 volunteers to conduct lighting and stage preparation. Chief Videographer Mark Boisevert of MEB Cinema will be heading a video production team to record the night. The benefit will be recorded to produce a CD & DVD of the event, which will be available for purchase on OURTOWNCONCERT.COM to further charitable donations.

In addition to the musical portion of the event, “Our Town” will be showcasing over 26 different local visual artists. Chief Artistic Coordinator Michael Angel Perez of Tall MIDGET is heading the project. The project consists of 26 pieces constructed by 26 different artists in honor of the victims who lost their lives. The pieces will be showcased and auctioned off during the course of the night. Amongst these artists are MAP, Rez One, Doug Calderone, Ana Sol, Rob Vendetti, Grimm, Repo, Billy Juers, Jim Duran, Jeremy Sporbeck, Suzane Filipe, Clinton, Cokes, Lynsey Ayalla, Chris Sterry, Donald Smith, ElStabo, Luke Grady, Daniel Adams, Alex Crowcroft, Keph, and Egor.


“Our Town”
Café Eclipse
40 Elm Street
Danbury, CT
5pm-2am