Katrina benefit concert news

Today's Star-Tribune quotes part-time New Orleans resident Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum as saying, "There probably isn't a better act to capture what people are feeling and hit a positive note about it than ReBirth." The good news is that these New Orleans second-line kings (interviewed in today's City Pages on page 37) are still on for their Saturday benefit show at the Cabooze with Jack Brass Band, whose Mike Olander has organized a charity fund specifically for New Orleans brass band musicians. Meanwhile, local R&B greats Mint Condition have been added to Sunday's Katrina benefit show at the Fine Line, co-hosted by I Self Devine and Felix from Heiruspecs (Mint play at 7:00 p.m.). On the same evening, New Orleans jazz percussionist Bill Summers, of Los Hombres Calientes, has just now been confirmed to play the Dakota (where Dr. John road out the storm) at 6:00 p.m. (Sunday), sitting in with the Girls an hour later. See the complete schedule of Katrina benefit shows at Complicatedfun.com.