By Andrea Holbrook
The student musicians in the Docksiders, Gloucester High School's stage band, are making their last big fund-raising push for their trip to Hawaii. And the community has already responded.
The band is presenting its "Aloha Concert" Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Fuller School Auditorium. The students will perform about 30 songs, ranging from ballads to rock and swing, during two sets with an intermission.
But while tickets are required for admission, the 800 free tickets have already been distributed, said BankGloucester President Patrick Thorpe, whose institution is sponsoring the event.
Thorpe said that, while the majority of ticketholders are expected to attend, there may be some tickets available at the door.
"We wanted to do something for the Docksiders, to help them go to Hawaii," Thorpe said yesterday, "and we wanted to give something back to the community, so we offered free tickets to the show."
The Aloha Concert is a fundraiser for the Docksiders' April vacation trip to Hawaii. The trip is costing the group between $54,000 and $60,000. The money is being raised through private donations and a series of fundraising events like Friday's performance.
"We're basically there," said David Adams, the band's director and a Gloucester High School music teacher. "This concert Friday night will put us there, it's the last push to put us over the top."
"BankGloucester made a very generous donation, $2,500," Adams said. "And then there is intermission. The Docksiders will sell refreshments and our brand-new CD, 'Aloha from Docksiders,' will premiere on sale that night. It's rock, ballads and swing; we do a little bit of everything."
The CD, which will sell for $15, contains 30 songs, lists the names of the band members and has a write-up about the band. The Docksiders will perform some of the songs on CD during Friday's concert.
The trip to Hawaii, April 16 to 23, is not the first trip the group has taken. In the nine years the band has been together, it is given concerts throughout the Cape Ann area, and tries to take a trip every two years. The Docksiders have traveled as far as California to play at Disney Land and to Florida, where the group twice played at Walt Disney World.
It was the Docksiders' trip to Walt Disney World two years ago that led to this excursion for the band.
"A lot of this came about through a few gentlemen from the Chamber of Commerce in Honolulu," Adams said. "They heard us in Walt Disney World and said they were blown away, and asked if we would come play in Honolulu. I asked, 'Where would we play?' and they suggested several places."
Adams stressed that every trip the Docksiders take has some sort of educational meaning behind it.
"Of all the trips we've taken, this is most awesome," he said. "The kids will be stationed on Oahu, where they'll play the Hard Rock Cafe in Honolulu and the Polynesian Cultural Center, which is kind of like Sturbridge Village, with seven villages that illustrate the history of the Polynesian islands.
"What excites me the most as an educator is that the Docksiders will perform swing tunes on the USS Missouri, the ship where the Japanese officially surrendered to Gen. MacArthur, one permanently birthed at Pearl Harbor," Adams said. "The kids will be right there in Pearl Harbor, seeing a part of our history, and performing on a ship that's absolutely magnificent."
Adams said his students have worked to make the trip a reality, including playing shows three to four nights in a row.
"They worked really hard, never complained and showed great enthusiasm. I couldn't be prouder of them," he said. "I love what I do, I can't wait to get to school and do what I do with them."
"The thing that is amazing me is that we're in the worst depression in more than 70 years, and people in this community came forward to help kids reach this goal," Adams said. "This is no small undertaking. Considering the times we're in, to have this kind of support is just amazing."
Those unable to attend, but wishing to help out, may make a donation by sending a check payable to the Docksiders and mailing it to BankGloucester, 160 Main St., Gloucester, MA 01930.
Andrea Holbrook may be contacted at 978-283-7000 x3456, or aholbrook@gloucestertimes.com.
'ALOHA,' DOCKSIDERS
What: Docksiders band 'Aloha' concert
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Where: Fuller School Auditorium
Why: Last major benefit for Docksiders' April trip to Hawaii.
