Rock & Rhodes Music Fest to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children

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The power of music especially shines when it brings people together for something bigger than themselves. It makes a typical live music show more than just a few bands getting on stage.

That’s what the Rock & Rhodes Music Fest is all about. On Sunday, Oct. 3, at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, located at 1 Rhodes Place in Cranston, a few bands from all over the Northeast will be performing from 1 to 6 p.m. with all of the proceeds going to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Founded in 1922, the Shriners Hospitals for Children is a network of 22 nonprofit medical facilities across North America where children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care and services regardless of cost.

The main organizers of the event are Warwick native Brian Dupont and Cranston native Tom Gelfuso. They both took nearly a year to plan the whole thing out because they wanted to support the Shriners Hospitals in a really stellar way.

“We have five fantastic bands that you would not normally get the opportunity to see here in Rhode Island,” Dupont says about the festival. “Band Inc. from Boston featuring Guiliana Lucia Amaral on bass and vocals will be there. She is a rising star in the making having recently been awarded Female Vocalist of the Year at this year’s Limelight Music Awards and also Best New Young Artist. The band has opened for Dave Matthews at the Xfinity Center and they’ll soon appear at the iconic Whiskey a Go Go in Los Angeles. After that they’ll be opening for Alice Cooper and Ace Frehley, so come and see her before she hits the big time.”

He adds: “Appearing from New York City will be The Midnight Callers who are with Jem Records. They will be playing their hit record ‘41 Miles to Roscoe’ along with many others. Little Steven from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street band and Sirius Radio just loves these guys and their record finished second to Green Day in a recent listeners’ poll. We’re also having a great band from Rhode Island called Hey 19, who travel up and down the East Coast, and they’re heralded as the finest Steely Dan tribute band in the country. They are an 11-piece band of seasoned musicians that will just blow you away. Another act from Boston we have is Soul Box, a rock and blues band that are extremely popular in the Boston metro area.”

Soul Box have an interesting story behind them due to a certain competition down south that they did pretty well in. There’s also a third act from Boston that the co-organizer speaks highly of that’ll be rounding out the bill.

“Before the pandemic, they competed in the famous International Blues Challenge and finished in the Top 3 amongst 100 or so bands from all over the country,” Dupont says about Soul Box. “Last and certainly not least will be The Fabulous Deluxtones, who are also from Boston. These guys will just wow you. They’re an eight-piece band that will make you want to get up and dance the day away. Tom and I have been working very hard on planning this event and we are fortunate to have some great contributors that have donated and also donated some terrific raffle prizes that will be given away that day – everything from restaurant gift certificates to party platters, liquor baskets and even a ‘Staycation’ for the lucky winner at the Hyatt on 800 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick.”

Arthur Wahlberg, who is one of seven older siblings of Donnie and Mark, and the crew from the A&E reality television series “Wahlburgers” will also be at the event.

Being one of the performing acts, The Midnight Callers are very excited to perform in Cranston for a great cause.

“We’re extremely excited and honored to be part of the Rock & Rhodes Music Fest,” says vocalist and rhythm guitarist Chris Paine. “Being based in New York City, we jumped at the chance to travel north to play in the greater Rhode Island area and Rhodes on the Pawtuxet is a fabulous venue. We can’t thank Brian and Tom enough for asking us to participate but, more importantly, we are so happy to do so to benefit Shriners Children’s Hospital. They provide such needed treatments and support for families and their children who struggle with serious, life threatening illnesses and conditions. We are so happy that through our music we're able to help in this way.”

Echoing a similar sentiment, Dupont mentions: “All of the proceeds will be gladly given to the Shriners Hospitals For Children to help in their medical journey, and it is a rough journey to say the least. They have helped more than one million children with never a cost to the families and the list keeps growing. There will be plenty of food, drinks, great music and great raffle prizes so bring your dancing shoes and get ready to boogie. By the way, the venue is a large facility so there is plenty of room for social distancing. Tables and chairs will be set up so get there early and grab one near the large dance floor.”

For ticket prices and everything else you need to know, visit eventbrite.com/e/rock-rhodes-music-fest-tickets-166197295585.

For more info on the Shriners Hospitals for Children, log on to shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.

Spend your Sunday afternoon doing something fun while also helping some kids get the medical care they need.

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