by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
WHAT: Rock For Invisible Children Benefit w/ The Sophomore Attempt, Parade the City, Don’t Sigh Daisy, All the Day Holiday, Joel Fletcher and Empire Acoustics
WHERE: Murray Hill Theatre
WHEN: Friday, February, 8th
Aside from what we see on CNN, most of us have no idea what it’s like to witness a war first hand, much less live though one. For you and me it’s hard to imagine having to live in a place where war is raging all around us all the time. But in northern Uganda that’s all many people know. Invisible Children Inc. is an organization that strives to give the children of Uganda a better world to call their own. To help them achieve their goal, The Murray Hill Theatre is holding their annual Rock for Invisible Children Benefit concert this Friday.
Invisible Children, Inc. began in 2003 when three filmmakers traveled to Africa in search of a story. While there, they discovered that children were the biggest victims in the decades-long war between the Ugandan government and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Thousands of children were abducted and forced to fight on behalf of the LRA and millions more lost their families during the war and were left to fend for themselves. After witnessing first-hand a generation that’s never known peace, the filmmakers created a documentary called Invisible Children: Rough Cut and began circulating it. The overwhelming response to the film was “How can I help?” and Invisible Children, Inc. was born. The non-profit organization uses the funds they raise to bring awareness to the situation in Uganda and to assist the children and families who have been displaced due to the conflict.
Over the years, Invisible Children, Inc. has been getting a lot of attention thanks to an outpouring of support from bands like My Chemical Romance, Relient K, Switchfoot and Fall Out Boy. The organization was also featured in an episode of The CW’s Veronica Mars and in the comic book The Phantom. Screenings of the film started it all. High schools and colleges across the country have also contributed through events such as Global Night Commute (a worldwide demonstration held in 2006) and last year’s Displace Me rally by raising a great deal of awareness for the cause. The Murray Hill Theatre is doing its part this weekend with the Rock for Invisible Children Benefit show.
The evening of great music for an even better cause will feature local bands The Sophomore Attempt, Parade the City, Don’t Sigh Daisy, All the Day Holiday, Joel Fletcher and Empire Acoustics. In addition to the bands, representatives from Invisible Children, Inc will be on hand to answer questions about the organization and will be selling IC merchandise. Throughout the evening, parts of the film will also be shown so you can get an idea of why this cause is worth fighting for. All proceeds from ticket sales and IC merch will benefit Invisible Children, Inc.
The Rock for Invisible Children Benefit concert is this Friday at 7:30 pm (doors open at 7). Tickets for the event are $10 and are currently on sale through the venue’s website at www.murrayhilltheatre.com. For more information on Invisible Children, Inc. and how you can help, head over to www.invisiblechildren.com. There, you can purchase DVDs and gear, donate funds or learn more about actually working abroad as in intern to help make some change.
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