BRIDGING THE GAP


On August 29, DYS co-founder and bass guitarist, Jonathan Anastas, will reunite his band for one day only to perform at a concert which celebrates one of modern music's most influential youth movements, the Hardcore Punk genre.

The Gallery East Reunion Show, which runs from 2 p.m. To 10:30 p.m. at Club Lido in Revere, will feature seven other high visibility Hardcore Punk bands. The show is being filmed for the documentary, ''xxx All Ages xxx'', being produced by Duane Lucia, Owner of Gallery East Productions. Approximately one thousand people are scheduled to attend.

Robb Zarges, Executive Director of Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Boston's most respected social service agency for youth, will be on hand to announce the kick-off of a one-of-a-kind donation to Bridge: a recent model white Fender Jazz bass guitar Anastas purchased to play for this event only. This guitar will be used on stage and will bear the signatures of all band members participating in the show. It will then be auctioned on EBay on August 30, with full proceeds going to Bridge Over Troubled Waters, which is marking its 40th anniversary this year.

Zarges' on stage announcement will be filmed and could make the final cut of Lucia's much-anticipated documentary. Anastas' bass guitar and band will be part of the xxx All Ages xxx documentary.

"My first passion has always been music" said Boston native Anastas, now a senior advertising and marketing executive who works with some of America's most recognized brands."Hardcore punk and Straight Edge were about making things better for kids who were struggling with any number of issues. I have the benefit of a certain degree of professional success and life experience. With that, I'd like to continue to help kids today who face challenges and inspire them to believe that anything is possible. I remember Bridge Over Troubled Waters from my time in Boston and am glad to help them on their 40th. They were a positive force then & remain a vital resource today”

There is a strong connection between Bridge, Gallery East and Hardcore music, with its message of no drugs and no alcohol. In the 1980s, Gallery East, then located in Boston's Leather District, provided a controlled musical outlet for teenagers, many of them abused, who were besieged by a culture of drugs and alcohol. A lot of those teenagers sought assistance from Bridge Over Troubled Waters and wrote to Lucia recently about the help Bridge had given them in the '80's. Many are now in their 40's and have successful careers in professional fields. They credit Bridge with helping turn their live's around.

Bridge serves more than 2,400 runaways a year. As the economy has worsened, the number of abused teens, runaways and substance abusers has risen, but donations have fallen and the agency has been forced to make painful cutbacks. They are cuts that those helped by Bridge can not afford.

"Often these kids come to us from such severe trauma that they just need to bury their heads in our couches for the first two weeks,'' said Karin Wilcox Cassel, Director of Development and Public Relations for Bridge. "They are sleeping in shelters or the parks -- they deem the parks safer -- and come to us exhausted, not having slept all night."

"We are low barrier -- our goal is get them in the door and keep them until they can stand on their own two feet -- and many do," continued Wilcox Cassel.

Participating bands signing Anastas' Fender bass guitar for the EBay auction to benefit Bridge are DYS, Jerry's Kids, Gang Green, The FUs, Antidote, Refuse Resist, Soul Control and The Revilers.

Anastas will be a guest on WAAF's radio talk show, Bay State Rock, this coming Sunday, August 22, at 10:30PM. He will be on-air discussing both the show and the donation to Bridge Over Troubled Waters.

Lucia will be featured on several Boston area stations before and after the event to promote both as well as his documentary, xxx All Ages xxx Boston Hardcore-The Film.

On behalf of Jonathan Anastas, Duane Lucia, xxx All Ages xxx - Boston Hardcore Documentary and the multitude of Hardcore Punk Fans helped by Bridge over the decades, we hope you will bid generously on this one-of-a-kind Fender bass jazz guitar. Own a piece of music and film history while supporting Bridge's continued efforts to provide for today's youth.

For more information please contact:

Karyn Cafarell, Freelance Media/ Press Liaison for Gallery East Reunion Show & Bridge Ninya@aol.com
617 460-1252

Duane Lucia, Executive Producer/Owner of Gallery East galleryeastboston@gmail.com

Karin Wilcox Cassel, Director of Development & PR, Bridge Over Troubled Waters kcassel@bridgeotw.org

Robb Zarges, Executive Director of Bridge Over Troubled Waters, rzarges@bridgeotw.org