About a dozen local bands are coming together for charity at the “6th Annual Down Front Holiday Benefit Concert” Friday at Newport Music Hall. This is one of four concerts in the series in December, presented by Down Front Productions, an Artist Development and Production company based out of Columbus.
Down Front Productions is a promotion company based out of Columbus that has been backing local artists for 8 years and has expanded to several other markets in the Midwest.
The bands aren’t the only ones sharing in the spirit of giving in this event. Fans are encouraged to bring canned food items, new or gently used toys, new or gently used clothing, and anything else they would like to donate. Items received for these shows will be donated to local charities to go to the poor.
The first concert starts at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
Jimmy Riggs and the Projectile Style of Funk Nasty Freshness is a band based in Columbus, including guitarist Ryan Sullivan, lead singer and guitarist Benjamin Fultz, an OSU alumnus, Alex Miller, a third-year student majoring in computer science, and Daniel Zwelling, a fourth-year student studying jazz percussion.
The band was formed in August, 2008. It got its start playing at Oldfield’s on High every Monday, and also landed performances at the Bier Stube. Jimmy Riggs and the PSFNF then began booking gigs all over Columbus, playing such venues as The Alrosa Villa, Suzi-Cue, Ruby Tuesday and The Basement. The benefit concert at the Newport however, is a new experience.
“The Production contacted us through MySpace. We performed at The Basement with them before, I guess they liked our performance,” Fultz said.
Fultz said the music the band plays is whatever they are feeling and comes straight from the heart.
“Writing lyrics is an outlet to me. Whenever I struggle in life, I end up writing about them,” Fultz said.
Although he said that being signed by labels would “make life easier,” Fultz feels like the band should go its own way.
“It’s gonna be really fun for us, on our own,” Fultz said.
The band eventually returned to Oldfield’s on High for Sunday night performances in December of 2009, and is still playing there now.
The second concert starts at 5 p.m. Saturday.
The third concert is at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 18.
The final concert starts at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 19.
Newport Music Hall is located at 1722 N. High Street. Tickets are $9 in advance or $13 on the day of the show. For information on Jimmy Riggs and the PSoFNF, visit myspace.com/jimmyriggsandthepsofnf.
