News: Lowell & Behold to release new album/host benefit shows to support scholarships

Lowell & Behold, a music-driven community service project, is preparing to release its second volume.

Last year, Seth Bailin of Nice Bass Productions got together with friends Nick Congelosi, Brett Fermeglia and Jason Gibbs (Audio Park Productions) in the hopes of creating a successful fundraising initiative that would promote Lowell musicians and aspiring students of music.

Seth Bailin of Nice Bass Productions and Lowell & Behold

Their efforts certainly came to fruition, as sales of the one-disc compilation Lowell & Behold: Volume 1 in conjunction with their two-night CD release party raised $2,000 dollars.

Each year, proceeds from the CD and the release parties are given to a local high school student who has demonstrated an outstanding passion for music and a need for financial assistance in order to continue to study music in college.

Last year’s event sold a multitude of CD’s and packed a local downtown museum two nights in a row.

Due to the overwhelming support and generosity from fans and musicians, Lowell & Behold: Volume 2 has expanded into a two-disc compilation (one acoustic and one electric) that includes select songs from 28 Lowell musicians and bands. There will be another two-night release party, this time in three locations instead of one.

Lowell & Behold: Volume 2

The first of the CD release parties is on Friday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m., and will showcase artists featured on the electric disc (Beneath the Sheets, Onslo, Manifest, etc.) at Lowell’s Gemstones club. On Saturday, Dec. 12, from noon to 2 p.m., there will be special acoustic performances (Brandon Downs, That Really Awesome Guy With A Guitar, etc.) at Brew’d Awakening Coffee Haus. Then at 7 p.m., the 119 Gallery will be hosting a final bash with more artists from the acoustic disc like Joshua Beetler, and the Bella Birds.

Other bands on the compilations include Hot Day at the Zoo, Goosepimp Orchestra, Ladderlegs, John Kearney & the Lost Onion, and Ralph Eats Dynamite.

The application process for this year’s Lowell & Behold Scholarship will begin after the release party in late winter and a student will be chosen by the spring of 2010.


-Words by Amanda Macchia