Saturday night started off right with Travisfest at Rocketown. The 4th annual kid-organized concert was held to assist Travis Morgan, a "Rocketown kid," who was in an accident three years ago that left him in a coma. While he is no longer comatosed, his recovery has been extremely slow, so the concert was organized to raise money to help him with his medical expenses.
Travisfest also happened to be the final show in the Rocketown building, although the occasion didn’t seem to be marred by any melodramatic "last show in the old building" feelings; apparently the new Rocketown location will be bigger and badder than ever before. (More details about TBA).
There was a tremendous turnout, making the benefit for Travis a wild success, and making the whole night a double whammy. I was able to catch several of the bands that played, including Roaming Cloud, Alcina and Goodbye Apathy. The latter two put on particularly compelling performances because their band members are longtime freinds of Travis, and were therefore especially glad to be playing at their friend’s benefit. Travis’s parents were there as well, talking to the countless people who have been inspired by Travis and his unbelievable recovery. While I felt somewhat out of place and in danger of being slammed by a teenager in a mosh pit, I couldn’t help but enjoy the fact that hundreds of kids were wearing the t-shirts sold in Travis’s honor, and found myself wishing I still had money from my parents because hell — who doesn’t love supporting a cause?
Everyone being there to support the Morgans, each other and their friend’s band was the best thing about Saturday night. It was really cool to see so many youth form a community through Rocketown in an effort to care for someone in need. And, might I add, even the way they reacted to the band performances and the music was very supportive and "communal" as well.
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, the Rocketown crowd will be the Infinity Cat kids in four or five years. The fist pumping, the synchronized sing-alongs and crowd-surfing, the roaring and screaming? All were executed with such vigor that shivers were sent down my spine, and I feared that I was going to be caught in a youth hipster revolt of some sort, lead by Travis’s best friend and lead singer of Goodbye Apathy, Brett Ison. But no – everybody was simply praising Travis Morgan and commemorating the old Rocketown building in the proper way. Speaking of which, everyone brought old pictures and memorabilia to put into a coffin, which will be built into the new location in June. (See above pic).
After witnessing so many teens unite over such a personal issue, I can say that Travisfest 2010 was definitely a grand slam.
Note: If you’re interested in donating to the Morgan family, send a check to Rocketown and write "Travis Morgan Donation" on the memo line. They’ll take care of the rest. – Erin Manning