We met Tom Hutchins the night we performed at Tomapalooza 2013: the blowout event created by Dave McGurgan and Vincent Kilpatrick (among others) to celebrate Tom’s birthday while helping him purchase a new, motorized wheelchair. It was a genuinely incredible night, filled with love, belly laughs, good vibes and some INCREDIBLE rock from killer bands like Randy America, The Prisoners, The Stiffs, and Clashing Plaid.
And once we met Tom and his super-cool wife Jennifer, we immediately understood why he had so many loyal friends (who ended up raising and donating an enormous amount of money). Muscular dystrophy and a recent stroke had robbed him of so much of his energy and control of his body, but he was freakin’ funny and wonderful to talk with, and the guy just radiated goodness. By all accounts, Tom was one hell of a teacher, and a generous, kind, gentle soul, up until the day he died just five months later. Nobody expected him to leave so soon, but he also knew his time was limited, so Tom and Jen came up with a plan.
The plan? Tomapalooza would continue every year around Tom’s birthday whether he could attend or not; and every year the proceeds from the show would go to a worthy charity. So this year, the charity is Brian’s Run, an event in West Chester, PA which “raises funds for disabled people from the community who need help with physical mobility, seeing and communication.” (http://briansrun.org) We are excited and honored to be a part of this great event, to share a stage with our friends and fellow rockers, and to contribute to Brian’s Run in Tom’s memory.
You have our word: Tom is a guy worth celebrating, and we hope you’ll join us at TOMAPALOOZA II. On Friday, March 14th (Pi Day!), a fantastic selection of rock bands are gonna take over JB McGinnes in New Castle, Delaware. Check out this lineup:
1. Hot Breakfast!: 7:00 – 7:25
2. Kitty Rotten: 7:25- 7:50
3. Nomads OK: 8:00 – 8:25
4. The Prisoners: 8:35 – 9:00
5. Clashing Plaid: 9:10 – 9:35
6. The Keefs and Randy America: 9:45 – 10:10
7. SwitchKitten: 10:20 – 10:45
8. Van Halen Nation: 10:55 – 11:25
9. Altar Of Dagon: 11:35 – ?
Now THAT is a freakin’ lineup!
We kick off the show promptly at 7:00, so make sure you’re there nice and early! Each band is only getting 25 minutes to cram in as much ROCKING as humanly possible.
DEETS:
What: TOMAPALOOZA II – A Celebration of the Life of Tom Hutchins
Who: Hot Breakfast!, Kitty Rotten, Nomads OK, The Prisoners, Clashing Plaid, The Keefs and Randy America, SwitchKitten, VH Nation, Altar of Dagon
When: Friday, March 14, 6:00pm – 1:00 am. We play first, from 7:00 to 7:25.
Where: JB McGinnes, 519 E. Basin Road, New Castle, DE. Click HERE for directions and a map.
Cover: $10. All proceeds benefit one of Tom’s favorite charities – the bands play for free.
Food & Drink: They have it! Many drinks to choose from, and you can download their menu here.
Parking: No worries there. It’s in a big shopping center.
Facebook Event: Here you go!
Much Love,
Matt (The Suburban Legend) and Ji11
