Bands hope their music raises money for Gerritsen Beach storm victims

December 27, 2012 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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Two months after Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast, the super-storm’s victims are still suffering as they try to repair their damaged homes and rebuild their lives.

To help the residents of one hurricane-ravaged neighborhood, a community of musicians is coming together for a charity concert on Jan. 6.

The benefit concert, which will raise money for Gerritsen Beach Cares, an organization assisting residents in that community, will take place at Tamaqua Bar & Marina at 84 Ebony Court, starting at 2 p.m.

“Our goal is to raise between $20,000 and $30,000 that day. We want to be able to give a few thousands dollars each to people affected by the hurricane,” Pepe Cardona, the musician organizing the show, said.

Cardona and his band, Alive N Kickin, will be performing at the benefit. The band became world famous back in 1970 with its hit song “Tighter and Tighter.”

“It’s a golden oldie. And it has helped me have a nice career,” Cardona said of the song.

The line-up of bands scheduled to play at the concert includes: the Frankie Marra Band, Head Over Heels, East Coast Band, Mike Riddle & Prodigal Child, Off The Record, and the Robert Santa band. There will also be a tribute to Journey by the band Any Way You Want It, and a tribute to Elvis Presley by Richie Santa.

Cardona said that when he reached out to the various bands about the idea of performing a benefit show, “they were all for it.”

Jan. 6 was selected as the concert date “because it so happened that every single band was available on that day,” Cardona said.

The bands are usually busy on weekends playing in concert halls and in bars all over the East Coast, Cardona said.

Gerritsen Beach residents are still trying to recover from the hurricane, according to Cardona, who said he has friends living there. “Paul Sarubbi, who owns Tamaqua, told me about the damage in the community. His place was badly damaged, but he managed to reopen. The volunteer fire department lost a truck. People are having a hard time,” he said. 

The musicians not only feel for the hurricane victims, they identify with them, Cardona said. Many of the musicians who will perform on Jan. 6 live in communities that were hit hard by the super-storm. “A member of my band lives in Long Beach. The base player in Off The Record had heavy damage in his house,” he said. 

For more information on the charity concert, email [email protected], or call Tamaqua Bar & Marina at 718-646-9212.

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