Moondog's concert to benefit North Hills Community Outreach's winter utility program

Local bands will light up the stage Friday, Oct. 11, at Moondog’s in Blawnox to help ensure people in need can keep their utilities on this winter.

Featured acts during the Got It Covered fundraiser will be three-piece surf-rock band The Turbosonics and plaidtastic rockabilly quartet Polkamaniacs 4.

Compassion Fatigue, a cover band comprised of North Hills Community Outreach staff, will make its premiere at the event emceed by Pittsburgh musician Slim Forsythe.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $15.

Proceeds benefit the NHCO Sharing Winter Warmth project that provides assistance to more than 500 senior citizens, disabled adults and families.

“For those in need, this is a welcome reminder that someone cares,” said Jeff Geissler, NHCO communications coordinator and guitarist.

“This helps neighbors in need stay warm and keep lights on.”

According to NHCO, about one in five households are forced to forgo, or have to reduce, food, medicine and other necessities to pay an energy bill.

In its sixth year, the fundraiser makes a huge impact for families facing rising utility costs in colder months, said Lizzy Zimmerman, NHCO’s director of development.

“As we see rising need amongst our neighbors, this is more important than ever,” Zimmerman said.

NHCO is headquartered on Ferguson Road in Allison Park and has a branch office on Lincoln Avenue in Millvale. The group offers free services to people in crisis or poverty, such as food pantries, education assistance and employment programs.

Geissler said the musicians in Compassion Fatigue met while working at NHCO. Most play with other acts, too.

“We all love playing music, and we always talked about getting together to jam,” Geissler said.

Joining him are singer Annelise O’Neil from the North Hills, drummer Gregg Brunner from Millvale, guitarist and trombone player Kate Robson from Brookline and bassist Jon Jordan from Pittsburgh’s Garfield section.

Robson said when she heard about the cover band forming, there was no holding her back.

“I love hanging out with my co-workers and I love playing music, so it’s been an all-around fun, fulfilling experience,” Robson said.

She also is a guitarist for indie band Lez Paul. For the fundraiser concert, Robson will sing backup and break out her trombone, an instrument she first attempted in the fourth grade.

“It’s been fun to brush up on an instrument I haven’t played in about 10 years,” she said. “I 100% recommend starting a cover band with your co-workers, and I hope we perform at this important fundraiser again next year.”

Their set will span the decades with tunes from Dolly Parton to Hall & Oates to Taylor Swift.

“We threw around some song ideas, set up some practices and now we have our groove going,” Geissler said.

“It’s pretty awesome playing music with co-workers who are also good friends, all for a cause we care deeply about. And we hope to dazzle and entertain our fellow co-workers!”