Over 50 people gathered at the Janet Smith House on Friday, October 15 for a concert benefiting 86 Hunger. 86 Hunger is a local non-profit aiming to “rid this community of hunger” through multiple programs including a food pantry, free meal program, and partnering with other organizations. Attendees could help the non-profit by donating money or canned food that would go in their food pantry.
The Fat Dandelions opened the show with smooth New Orleans-style jazz, featuring a trumpet, standing bass, and a full upright piano. Titsweat (pictured above) was the next band playing what they described as Eugene-based garage glam music. Baby Smooth & The Sex Dreams closed out the show with funky, sultry music. All of the music meshed well together and matched the energy of the crowd that appeared to mostly be in their late 20s to 30s.
The Janet Smith House is a co-op that sits on the corner of 18th and Alder that mainly serves graduate students. Over the last year it has held sporadic small concerts outside as it is cautious of COVID safety. It along with the other Student Cooperative Association co-ops, Lorax Manner and The Campbell Club, have been holding discussions over how to hold events while the pandemic continues on.
Yumiko Noriyki, who works with 86 Hunger helped organize the event at Janet Smith. They say smith was a natural place to throw the show as the house shares many of the same ethos. The house also hosts a community fridge, that anyone has access to donate and get food from, out front that 86 Hunger donates leftovers to. Noriyki used their knowledge of organizing previous shows and connections to the scene to throw a successful benefit concert.