Get ready for the latest and perhaps rarest benefit concert in recent history. As Pitchfork reports, the likes of Yo La Tengo, TV on the Radio’s Kyp Malone, Portastatic, Sharon Van Etten, and the uber reclusive Neutral Milk Hotel frontman Jeff Mangum will come together for a concert this May in benefit of New Zealand punk pioneer Chris Knox!
Yes, the inclusion of Jeff Mangum in the previous sentence was intentional. Mangum is actually playing(!) in what will be his first live appearance since he unexpectedly surfaced at an Elephant 6 concert in October of 2008. Pitchfork reports that Mangum is playing a “very short acoustic set,” and “doing the show specifically to help raise money for his close friend and it’s not the start of a comeback.” Either way, one thing is better than nothing.
Anyhow, getting back to the benefit part, as mentioned the concert will look to support Knox, who suffered a stroke last June. The whole thing will go down on May 6th at Le Poisson Rouge in Manhattan. No word yet on ticket prices or on sale dates, but you can be sure this thing will sell out fast. The venue’s capacity is only 800. Update: Tickets will go on sale starting Tuesday, March 30th at 12:00 PM EST via Kickstarter.
Others acts scheduled to take part include The Magnetic Field’s Claudia Gonson and fellow New Zealanders Robert Scott and David Kilgour of The Clean. If you remember, most of these people also appeared on the recently released benefit album.
Basically, this thing won’t have any trouble making money.
