by Scott Holden
EVESHAM-Like most of the college-age populace, Ben and Jake Davis love a good party.
But what sets brothers Ben, 23, and Jake, 21, apart from many of their fun-loving peers is how the two enjoy wrapping those good times around better causes.
During an end of the school year bash a few years ago, epiphany struck the brothers as they gazed out upon a sea of nearly 200 people gathered in their parents’ driveway to hear a handful of local bands the two had invited to play.
That moment of inspiration has since evolved into Davis Concert Staging Inc., a non-profit production company specializing in concerts for charity.
Jake added: “We have a regular business model, except that instead of retaining our profits, we just give them away,” he said. “For me, it is exciting to be a part of a socially responsible business.”
On Nov. 26, the brothers Davis plan to take advantage of a popular bar night when they present The 2008 Thanksgiving Festival at Champps Americana on Route 73 in Evesham.
The show will feature an eclectic mix of music from Hypersonic Flow, Three Legged Fox, Blue Sinatra and Desoto Jones.
Concert proceeds will benefit Toys for Tots and Operation Gratitude, an organization that sends care packages to U.S. troops around the globe.
Ben said they got the idea to support the military-based charities after catching up with some friends who had recently returned home from Iraq.
“I was happy to see they were home and proud to call them my friends so we decided to do something for our servicemen and women,” Ben said.
In addition to supporting various charities, the brothers said their other aim is to promote local musicians who often have a hard time finding venues to play originals in a bar scene saturated with cover bands.
“We have a lot of friends that are in pretty good bands, but you can be in a good band your whole life and no one may ever hear you,” noted Jake.
One of those bands, Three Legged Fox, has been with the brothers all along, including their first two concerts for charity aptly titled the “Goods in the Woods” shows.
“A show like this is important to the band because it’s for a great cause and their involvement ensures quality entertainment for the people that come out to support it,” said Three Legged Fox Manager Josh Zimmer. “A lot of times, people will make claims that they have adequate equipment and/or sound technicians for something like this, but we know that we can always count on the Davis brothers to deliver. They never steer us wrong or make false claims about the setup.”
However, the sheer amount of planning and legwork that is required to pull off such a show can be quite daunting, the brothers confessed.
But for them, their love of good times and good tunes for a good cause outweighs all the mundane, paperwork shuffling, endless voicemail leaving details – and at times frustration – that goes with it.
“Something like this takes a lot of time and effort, but when I am into it I can spend hours on it and not even see the clock tick,” Ben said. “What always surprises everybody is how we make it work even though I have a full-time job now and Jake is still in school full-time.”
As brothers, especially ones so close in age, you would expect the stereotypical sibling bickering; and though they fully admit heated arguments may arise on the ice during a hockey game, never do they surface when it comes to business.
“We both know what each other’s strengths and weaknesses are and we play off of that really well,” Ben said finishing his brother’s sentence. “Jake is the musician so he handles the talent end of things, whereas I tend to take on the business and administrative stuff.”
With an ever-burgeoning list of worthy charities to support, the brothers admit the hardest part is often deciding which organization to feature at their shows.
But for this ever-enthusiastic duo that pride themselves on offering up uniquely diverse bands at their shows, finding another charity just gives them the perfect excuse to work toward piecing together another concert.
“The reason this started is because the two of us love a great party and a great show,” admitted Jake with a smile. “The whole thing is built around people with the same mindset. We just party for a good cause.”
The 2008 Thanksgiving Festival will start at 7 p.m. on Nov. 26. Admission is $10 at the door or $7 with the donation of a new, unwrapped toy. For more information visit: www.davisconcertstaging.org.