Woodstock Hosts Goodbye Irene Caberet Benefit For Vermont Flood Relief

WOODSTOCK, VT.-The recent Goodbye Irene Cabaret Benefit show held at the Woodstock Town Hall Theatre was much more than just a gathering to raise money for the flood relief efforts. It was also a chance for folks to gather, support one another and simply enjoy some music and forget about the devastation caused by the storm for a few hours.

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Photos by Joe Milliken 1. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry rocks the house 2. Perry and Joey Leone face off in a duel guitar solo 3. Surprise guest, folk singer Tom Rush 4. Members of the Woodstock Community Gospel Choir.

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The show featured an array of local talent, from a father and son guitar duet and a youth choir from the Bridgeport Elementary School, to the vocal stylings of Sabrina Brown and the Almost Legendary Thundering Muskrats jazz outfit, to the show headliner which featured Aerosmith guitar-icon Joe Perry performing with the rockin'(and more than worthy, thank you)Joey Leone Chop Shop Blues Band.

Yes, this show had something for everyone, as evident by the diverse audience, which began gathering outside the theatre some two hours before the doors opened. Some were there to show they're support and donate funds to the effort, while others simply to catch an up-close glimpse of a legendary rock star. Mr. Perry owns a farmhouse in nearby West Pomphret.

M.C.'d by local business owner Max Comins, who opened the show with his own rendition of "Caberet" and "My Kind Of Town", this truly special event offered a light-hearted musical break from all the devastation and subsequent hard work and clean-up caused by the recent tropical storm Irene.

Amazingly, the event raised over #17,000 for relief efforts, not bad for a free, three hour show in a small theatre that seats less than 200. The nonprofit group Sustainable Woodstock, along with other community leaders, created the relief fund and cabaret show to assist in raising funds for area folks most effected by the storm.

Other performers included Woodstock Union High School's (WUHS) Speak Chorus, WUHS student and guitarist Jack Snyder and his dad John, the Woodstock Community Gospel Choir and the show-closing sueprise guest, folk singer and recording artists Tom Rush, who lives in nearby Hanover, NH.

The highlight of the show, however, was clearly Joe Perry, who strolled out onto the stage dressed in black leather jacket as Leone's Chop Shop Blues Band provided the perfect backdrop for Perry's fiery mix of rock'n'blues guitar style.

"I was down in Boston watching it all on the news and it didn't look good," Perry proclaimed to a now frenzied audience, many storming to the front of the stage to get a closer look. "But I'm honored to be here and glad to see everyone happy and smiling."

Perry and the Chop Shop's set included Howlin' Wolf's "How Many More Years", Jimi Hendrix's "Red House", Bob Dylan's "Man Of Peace" and the Freddy King classic "Goin' Down". Needless to say, the set brought down the house! "Thanks a lot for coming out tonight,"Perry exclaimed before disappearing stage right. "And please empty those pockets!"

"Joe was truly a pleasure to work with," Joey Leone said in a phone interview the following day. "Being a rock star, he could have simply showed up five minutes before going on, done his thing and left. But not only did he do a sound check and work out the set with my band, but he also took the time to thank everyone involved after the gig.
"I've been onstage with a few famous musicians in my day, (including Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Otis Rush and Stevie Ray Vaughn) and Joe was probably the easiest to work with of them all."

The show concluded with Tom Rush, who had the unenviable task of following up Perry to end the show,but the folk icon took it in stride and with a bit of humor as well. "So, I get follow Joe Perry, huh," Rush said as the crowd laughed and applauded. "Gee, thank you,very much," as he proceeded to play "Making The Best Of A Bad Situation" …a fitting end to a truly inspirational event.

If you would like to contribute to the flood relief efforts, contact Sustainable Woodstock at 802.457.2911 or mail a check to Sustainable Woodstock Flood Relief Fund, P. O. Box 611,Woodstock, VT. 05091.

Watch for a more in depth review of the show in the next issue of Cider Magazine