Even amid a worldwide pandemic, some shows eventually must go on.
Such will be the case for the Wounded Warriors Project benefit concert organized by the nationally touring Night Owl Country Band at 7 p.m. Saturday at the The Elks Lodge. The local quartet originally planned for the event to unfold March 27 with headliner Tom Wopat, formerly of “The Dukes of Hazzard” TV show, but COVID-19 shut down such gatherings before they could happen.
The 2019 concert with headliner John Schneider, also one of the Duke boys, sold out The Commons with more than 400 people. New plans amid social distancing mean that the new local venue can accommodate 156 people for the show that Night Owl will headline, with Indianapolis performers Trace Thompson and Wyatt Massingille opening.
Each artist is slated for a 45-minute set for the cause that helps families of injured veterans. Night Owl lead singer Matt Lee and his sidekicks have long been heavily pro patriotism, with original songs such as “Made in America.” And the members have long been heavily charitable, performing no fewer than seven benefits shows thus far this year alone for causes ranging from Columbus Regional Health furloughed to staffers to the Bartholomew County Public Library.
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“We have just been at the point that we’ve really wanted to play for people,” Lee said, referring to the excessive downtime in recent months due to the pandemic.
His fellow musicians — guitarist Tim Dooley, drummer Steve Pardue and rhythm guitarist Brett Denney — have long said that such giving is “part of who we are.”
Another part of who they are is an emerging group that was just beginning to build a regional and national fan base when the quarantine hit. Plus, members have rubbed shoulders with a range of Nashville elites such as singer-songwriter Mike Morgan, who has written material for Alabama and Conway Twitty. The band will be performing two of Morgan’s newer tunes, the patriotic “Country to the Bone” and “Runaway Heart” — and also recording them for their next disc late this year.
Followers can drop expectations of seeing the boys in their usual stage garb, though. They’re making it a Halloween-style event. The last time the group turned cool ghouls, Lee was Heath Ledger’s Joker, Denney was Sheriff Woody from “Toy Story,” Dooley was a Viking, and Pardue wore a mask as the chilling Jason Vorhees.
“We still don’t quite know how he played all night in that,” Lee said.
The singer/guitarist and his mates are doing more than singing and playing for the cause. The lead vocalist also plans to auction his bass guitar — the one he played when the group performed at the fabled Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee in 2017 — to the highest bidder. Chances for the instrument will be sold for $5 apiece.
Thompson, one of the opening acts and the son of a veteran, is expected to include a passionate salute to veterans with a co-written tune “Pretty Dmn Bad,” about the life-and-death sacrifices made for freedom. So he figures his sacrifice of a donated performance is small measure of gratitude.
“I’m blessed to have bandmates who believe music is more important than money,” he said. “It’s about helping and healing, and we jump at these kinds of opportunities where our schedules allow.”
Like the Night Owl Country Band, Thompson and his ensemble have performed to benefit other causes, too. Those include the March of Dimes, Hoosier Burn Camp for youngsters, Riley Hospital for Children and the Indianapolis Firefighters Emerald Society.
“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to help these heroes,” Thompson said.
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What: Annual Wounded Warriors Project benefit concert featuring the headlining Night Owl Country Band and openers Trace Thompson and Wyatt Massingille.
When: 7 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Elks Lodge 521, 4664 Ray Boll Boulevard in Columbus.
Tickets: Limited to 156 people. Cost is $10 for general admission or a table of six for $50.
Information: nightowlcb.com
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