All photos by Merri Cyr for Violet © 2001.
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INK WTC
Benefit Concert by NYC Indie Bands Raises Nearly $10,000 for Families
of Port Authority Police Officers The idea for the event began in a conversation between Violet's Jim Barry, Meredith Minogue and her sister, solo artist Annie Minogue. Moved by the tragedy of September 11th, the trio decided to stage a performance to raise money for the victims' families. They decided to focus their efforts on the Port Authority Police World Trade Center Disaster Survivors' Fund when they invited several fellow artists to join them and learned that a close friend of artist Kevin Brennan and Hogs & Heifers owner Michelle Dell -- Port Authority Police Officer John Dennis Levi -- had been killed in the WTC attack. With the roster of five bands finalized, club owner Don Hill offered to host the event and Michelle Dell offered to emcee, enlisting contributions from many corporate sponsors, including Budweiser, Jack Daniels, Harley Davidson and The Village Voice. The concert's final tally, $9,200, was presented in a check to the Port Authority Police World Trade Center Survivors' Fund shortly after the event. The significance of the contribution was subsequently underscored by a December 2nd New York Times article ("Gifts for Rescuers Divide Terror Victims' Families") which pointed out that "Even among the rescuers, there are significant differences in what their families are receiving in charity. As things stand now, for example, the families of the 37 Port Authority police officers will collect roughly one-third less money in charitable assistance than the families of 343 New York firefighters. The reason is simple: charities dedicated solely to firefighters are taking in far more money than those dedicated solely to the Port Authority police officers." John McAusland, Counsel for the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association, noted this fact in thanking the performers: "We are extremely grateful to the people who put this benefit together. The Port Authority Police Department's role in the World Trade Center evacuation effort has not been widely reported and donations to the Survivors' Fund supporting the families of our 37 lost brothers and sisters are lagging behind similar funds for that reason. We are particularly gratified that the promoters of this benefit singled our fund out for their donation." Artist/Performer Profiles Violet When
vocalist/guitarist Meredith Minogue and guitarist Jim Barry began
writing songs together in 1994, they wanted to find a way to blend
their seemingly disparate, yet biggest influences -- folk and New
Wave. The result can be heard on their "aggressive acoustic"
debut CD, We
Both Know It's Out There (Wine & Vinyl Music). Clay Steakley
of Performing Songwriter singled out the disc as one of the best
independent releases of 2001: "Minogue's voice is entirely
intoxicating...An impressive and habit-forming record." Mary
Huhn of The New York Post called it an album full of "easy
going but not easy listening songs." Annie Minogue Singer/songwriter
Annie Minogue, former front-person for SPV Recording Artist, Ghost
of a God, has shared stages with the Cowboy Junkies and Shane MacGowan.
Rock critic and Inside The Music author Dimitri Ehrlich calls her
"A powerhouse vocalist whose smartly-crafted modern rock songwriting
and searingly emotional performances stand out in the crowded field
of female rock singers." Minogue recently released her first
album, Home (Liberty Place Records), tracks from which have been
featured on MTV's Real World, MSNBC and in the film "Out of
the Black." Burr Johnson Innovative
guitarist Burr Johnson has recorded five albums, two of which are
for children. His synthesized guitar work crosses jazz and rock
genres. He has performed at the Montreux Jazz festival; appeared
with the Brooklyn Philharmonic; toured with jazz organist Jack McDuff;
and opened for Ray Charles and B.B. King. Guitar legend Les Paul
described Johnson as "inspiring." Kevin Brennan A frequent
performer at The Bottom Line and Wetlands, Kevin Brennan's sound
has been compared to early Blood, Sweat & Tears. His soulful vocals
are complemented by his ensemble's funky, horn-driven sound. Brennan
has shared stages with artists such as Michelle Shocked and Deborah
Harry. Sharon King of The New York Daily News annointed him "an
up-and-coming star." Ernesto Once
described as a "tough, bourbon-smooth street gang carousing
the clubs of New York City," Ernesto performs an energetic
blend of electric guitar-driven, Latin flavored rock. The band is
led by Ecuadorian-American singer/guitarist Tito Ernesto Ortiz,
who is known to fans of daytime TV as Detective Carlos Rivera on
As the World Turns and the original Mateo Santos on All My Children. Available
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