Some old time rockers are stepping up to the mike once more for a Duluth youth organization. Two bands that rocked the Twin Ports during the late 1960s and into the 1970s will regroup on stage in a special benefit for the Duluth Boys and Girls Club.
City Councilor Neill Atkins announced Thursday that the benefit performance will be at Mr. D's in West Duluth on Sunday, Dec. 22. The show will feature QuickBreath and Sound Inc. playing alternating sets. Admission for the 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. show will be $5 at the door.
Atkins and original QuickBreath member Tracy Lundeen are organizing the event.
"These two groups are made up of guys who, for the most part, grew up in these neighborhoods and want to give something back," said Atkins, whose own family has roots in the club's neighborhood. "It's fortunate that we have a place like the Boys and Girls Club in our district that kids can go to, and we are lucky to have people like these guys who remember where they came from."
Lundeen said he has a special relationship with the club. "A lot of friends and band members basically grew up at the Boys and Girls Club," he said. "It's all about giving something back.
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"We'd feel guilty keeping the money. This is fun for us to get back together and play in front of all our old friends. The fact that we can brighten up a few lives and provide a few opportunities for kids makes it even better."
Proceeds from the show will go to a dedicated fund for programs for kids, not administrative costs. Lundeen said that 70 percent of the club's members are from families at or below the poverty level.
"We feel honored to have this event benefiting the Duluth Boys and Girls Club," said executive director Todd Johnson. "We'll use the funds to provide something special for the kids we serve."
The club, founded in 1970, serves about 1,400 youths each year. It is supported by the United Way, foundations, organizations and individuals. It operates through the club building at 2623 W. Second St., and the Lincoln Park School Branch.
Atkins said one possible use for the proceeds would be a traveling scholarship that would send kids to Washington, D.C., or somewhere for a unique experience.
Lundeen is currently president of ShowPro in Duluth. He is the co-founder of the Bayfront Blues Festival and still active in the music industry. He was one of the founding members of QuickBreath, which formed in the summer of 1972. The band cut a record in 1977 and lasted until 1979.
Sound Inc. began playing in the Duluth area in 1965 and recorded the popular single "Dreams." This is the second reunion for the two groups. In 1998 they got together and played a benefit for Lincoln Park Elementary School.
For QuickBreath, the upcoming show will also mark another milestone. The band finally has an album out that members have been working on for the past three years.
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"If we sell five albums that's great," Lundeen said. "We just wanted to put it out."
For more information on the show or the album, visit http://www.quickbreath.com or call 727-1177.
