DEBORA SHAULIS | On the Scene Concerts offer home-grown talent

Get in tune with the latest music news from the Mahoning Valley and beyond.
U "Bands and Friends," a daylong event July 25 at B & amp;B Backstage in Boardman, will be a bittersweet reunion of local musicians. Included in the list of familiar names are the groups Brainchild; Left End; Gary Markasky & amp; Dreamaker; The Fuzz with John Sferra and Dan Pecchio, both veterans of Glass Harp; Carl Severino & amp; East Coast; Frankie & amp; the Sensations; Special Forces; Side Show; Great Lakes Band; You & amp; I; and Red Lights. Individual participants thus far are B.E. Taylor; Maureen Collins of Easy Street Productions; Jim Gerlach; Jerry Centifanti; Steve Lawrence; guitarist Mike Baranski; and Pete Pylypiw.
To raise money
The bittersweet aspect is that they're coming together to raise money for singer Joel "Odie" Crook, formerly of Brainchild and many other bands, who has cancer. Concert proceeds will go into a trust fund for Crook's teen-age son, Adam.
Music will be from 1 to 10 p.m. Get tickets for $15 at B & amp;B Backstage, behind Bull & amp; Bear Tavern, 1247 Boardman-Poland Road. For details, call the B & amp;B box office at (330) 758-1557.
"Bands and Friends" has nonprofit status, and organizers say they want to make this an annual event to help other musicians in need.
UAnother night of local music at B & amp;B Backstage will be July 16, when smooth jazz and pop pianist Joe Augustine of Warren and his band, License to Groove, performs. Augustine is a Steinway artist and versatile musician who has recorded many CDs and performed recently as a guest of Youngstown Symphony Orchestra. In case of rain, the concert will be July 18.
UTwo more concerts have been added to the B & amp;B Backstage schedule. Pittsburgh alt-rock band The Clarks will perform July 24, and pop-rock star Rick Springfield will be there Aug. 8, with opening act Disco Inferno.
The Clarks' climb to national fame will continue Aug. 31, when the band performs on "The Late Show with David Letterman" on CBS. The latest CD, "Fast Moving Cars," was released last month by Razor & amp; Tie Records.
UThe music of Insane Clown Posse is the link between an event next week at W.D. Packard Music Hall in Warren and a music festival in Garrettsville.
Group Rehab, a Streetsboro-based rap group with ties to Trumbull County, will be the headliner of a show Wednesday night, with special guests The Biokillaz, Hastyle and Russett Burbank. For tickets, which are $8.50, call (330) 841-2931.
First big show
Group Rehab member Brian Thomas of Newton Falls says this will be the act's first big show on home turf. It's also in sync with the fifth annual Gathering of the Juggalos, featuring Insane Clown Posse, Twiztid, Dark Lotus, Vanilla Ice and other acts, from 10 a.m. next Thursday through 10 a.m. July 19 at Crystal Forest, 12001 Nelson Ledges Road (AKA state Route 282).
Insane Clown Posse is the apocalyptic-sounding rap-metal duo that wears clown makeup and sprays Faygo pop on people as part of its performance-art shtick.
U Like the funky sounds of Bootsy Collins, Ohio Players, Kool & amp; the Gang and Wild Cherry? So do the members of Costley Court, a seven-piece band that will play its own version of funk at 11:30 p.m. Saturday at Cedar Lounge, 23 N. Hazel St., downtown Youngstown.
U Ohioan Tim Easton, a singer-songwriter, is raising money for Second Harvest Foodbanks in 12 cities, including Youngstown. Easton and Cleveland band Rosavelt will play at 10 p.m. July 16 at Cedar Lounge, Youngstown.
U R & amp;B/hip-hop singer ShiMarcc, of Niles, will preview songs from his upcoming CD at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Warren Community Amphitheater, off Mahoning Avenue, downtown Warren. The concert is free. The CD will be in stores Aug. 31.
U Local band December Son is ready to release its first CD, titled "The Better Happier You." The band and fans will celebrate with a CD release party at 8 p.m. July 24 at The Cellar, 162 S. Bridge St., Struthers.
U Also at The Cellar: Modern rock band Tantric, on July 19. See the Web site www.thecellarrocks.com for details.
XDebora Shaulis is entertainment editor. Write her at shaulis@vindy.com.