Rock of cages: Humane Society holds fundraising music festival to help homeless animals

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri is always looking for new ways to bring in donations.

Tonight, it will host the first MusicFest at Breakaways in downtown Cape Girardeau, showcasing four bands and hoping that this 21-and-up event will bring in some much-needed funds.

Four bands will perform, starting with acoustic sounds from Lindsay Bowerman and Joseph Matthew Parent. Two seasoned Cape Girardeau acts, The Doobie Derby Band and The Big Idea, will take the stage in the second half of the night.

"We're really hoping that this event draws a crowd of different ages," said Gila Todd, resource development director with the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri. "We don't see a lot of diversity in the age in a lot of our fundraising, but this is something different."

Todd said the earlier bands should draw a different crowd than the last two, which might expand the audience.

"Everyone likes music; it's pretty universal," Todd said. "So we're just really hoping we can draw tons of people to this event and increase some awareness."

The Humane Society will also hold a 50/50 raffle and there will be door prizes. Mike Hess, owner of Breakaways, will also be donating part of the bar proceeds to the Humane Society.

The cover charge is $5, about what you would pay on any given night to hear live music at Breakaway's, but tonight, all of the bands are donating their time so the Humane Society gets as much money as possible.

Will Montgomery of The Big Idea, which is closing the event, said his band is "honored and pleased to have been asked to be a part of such a wonderful event that will no doubt benefit an underappreciated organization within our community."

Montgomery said he hopes that through their voice and their music, they can raise support and awareness for the Humane Society's mission.

Whatever is taken in at the door will be doubled, thanks to a matching grant from the Modern Woodmen of America.

"We hope that our crowd is big enough that we're looking at doubling a couple thousand dollars," Todd said. "They say, 'build it and they will come'; well, we will see."

For more information, visit the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri online at www.semopets.org/events.html or call 334-5837.

Pertinent address: Breakaways, 15 N. Main Street, Cape Girardeau