Panico's owner Rob Panico, left, and Westmain frontman Billy Andrey, second from right, present a check to Manna on Main Street earlier this year. (Credit: Dave Heck)
The DIY Lansdale music scene returns with local bands, raffles, and a heartfelt finale as Merit plays their last show
With the success of their benefit show at the end of last year, Panico's Neighborhood Grill and Sports Tavern will continue to embrace the benevolent nature of Lansdale's DIY music scene on Saturday, March 22 with proceeds benefiting Eagles Autism Foundation.
In December, Lansdale native and singer of the band Westmain, Billy Andrey, organized a benefit show for Manna on Main Street at Panico's.
Five bands played and a total of $1,210 was raised at the door of the show. Owner Rob Panico graciously doubled that by matching it, making a total amount of $2,420 donated to Manna on Main Street.
For the March 22 show, manager Lauren Fisher will be again teaming up with Andrey and Westmain to bring the music back to Panico's.
This will not be the first benefit Fisher has promoted through the bar. On top of the aforementioned show, Fisher has overseen various Beef and Beers, Dine and Donates and raffles for many community organizations.
This will be a unique mending of charitable ways: Her idea, combining a 10-day raffle with gift cards to support local businesses and the benefit show capping it all off.
The raffle gifts come from such local businesses as Round Guys, Well Crafted, The Bull, Lansdale Tavem, PJ Whelihan's, Olde Indian Valley Inn, Stove and Tap, Bacco, Sumneytown Hotel, Crossroads Tavern, Red Dragon Martial Arts, Tex Mex and Blue Dog Pub.
In addition to gift cards, Lansdale resident Kevin Mechalas has also donated tickets for the Phillies, Flyers, 76ers and Philadelphia Union.
In May, Fisher looks forward to participating with fellow Panico's employees in the Eagles Autism Challenge, a 5K run/walk. Also joining her for the first time will be her five-year-old son, who is diagnosed with ASD.
"Being a parent to a child with autism is challenging. Trying to get people to understand that is sometimes even harder,” Fisher said. “Eagles Autism Foundation does so much to help not only people with autism but also help the world understand autism. It is important."
Online donations to the Foundation can be made here.
The meritorious nature of the benefit was perhaps set in stone by the fact that this will be the final show for Merit, a Lansdale band that has brought interest to music in the area for the last decade.
Merit wraps up a decade of pop punk rock with their final show in Lansdale on March 22. (Credit: Dave Heck)Playing shows all over the East Coast, Merit has always had a home in the Lansdale scene. Singer Mike Dougherty, also a Lansdale native, has been active with local music since his middle school years.
"I can't thank the Lansdale scene enough for showing our band so much love over the years. To have been able to leave our mark on our little community means the world to us,” Dougherty said.
Goalkeeper, a band from the South Jersey Philly Suburbs, will be returning to Lansdale for this show. This band has played the Lansdale area a few times in their early years.
"Lansdale has always been this place that I wish I grew up in,” said singer and guitarist Marc Juliano. “The music scene is so vibrant especially for punk and hardcore. I didn't have a scene like that growing up. Though it's been a minute, we're extremely grateful to have a chance to come back and play Merit's final show. They're a band we got our start with. Truly excited for what this show will be!”
Froggy, a band that formed during the pandemic and comprised of a trio of teenagers from North Penn and CB West, will also be joining the bill.
Froggy has covered quite a lot of ground in a few short years. After filming their own DIY video for their song “7-11 Nachos,” 7-Eleven decided to sponsor them and film a full-scale professional music video for the song.
The band has been featured numerous times on WMMR's “The Preston and Steve Show” and was even on the soundtrack for the movie “Clerks III.” After such an impressive first few years, Froggy is a welcomed addition to the show.
Philadelphia's Altarboy have been tearing up the SEPA music scene in the last year and is a very hype addition to the lineup. Their recent addition of Lansdale musician Chris Swanson on second guitar will hopefully ensure more shows with Altarboy in the area this year. They will be playing Round Guys Brewery April 5 as well.
With Spring fast approaching, it is exciting to see the musical spike in our area continue to swell. All-ages shows, ticketed concerts at local venues, and the continued focus on community that this town has been starved of for some time has resulted in more than 20 shows benefiting the community in the last year alone.
Keep letting music happen and you will keep getting good out of it.
