If you need one place to see a ton of local bands this weekend, Marianarchy will be the place to catch them.
The two-day music benefit, this year marking the sixth annual, is at the Zephyr Lounge with two shows — Friday and Saturday — featuring at least two-dozen artists, along with some last-minute additions on an outdoor stage.
Nick Ramirez, who started Marianarchy as a one-off benefit for Marianne Psota, a pioneer of the turn-of-the-century local music scene who died in 2004, got all the bands together in an ongoing effort to remember Marianne and to help others in need.
Bands this year include The Atomiks (who have played every Marianarchy), Green Mondays, Lacey Mattison, Steve Larkins and Eric Foreman, and Freaks of Nurture today; and Blueberry Love Machine, Nevada Backwards (from Sacramento), The Shames, Blunderbusst, Sleepy Sunshine, Kate Cotter (also at every Marianarchy), Grace Gatsby, Dirt Communion, The Vampirates and more on Saturday. Ramirez will host the shows and periodically play acoustic sets throughout.
Last year’s event raised $1,400 for the Solace Tree, a charity that helps grieving families.
“That was the best year, by far, we ever had,” Ramirez said.
This year, Ramirez is directing Marianarchy proceeds to friend Mary Dewees, who was diagnosed this year with Sjogren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease not unlike multiple sclerosis that affects the central nervous system and various organs. Ramirez, who works with Dewees, said she has not been to work in months.
“They’re not rich folk or anything.”
Last year’s event was filmed by Dave Richards, and he’ll document the event this weekend as well. The 2008 event will be available on DVD for $20, and features interviews with all of the bands that performed, as well as footage from that weekend. The suggested donation is $10 for Marianarchy , and commemorative T-shirts, designed by Ramirez and a friend, will be available for $15. Food will also be cooking on the Zephyr barbecue.
Marianarchy starts at 5 p.m. Friday and at noon on Saturday (music kicks off around 2 p.m.). Both events will last well into the night.
