On Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 25th from 2-5 PM, The Rick Show will make its first-ever appearance in Austin, Texas at “The Strawberry Moon CD Release Memorial Weekend Picnic Benefit Double Nickel Birthday Celebration Extravaganza Party” in the Unity Oaks Pavilion. The picnic-styled event will not only support Rick Busby’s Austin release of “Strawberry Moon,” but the event (which is on a love offering basis) will support LoveLight, an organization that works with at risk youth in South Africa. Proceeds from the event will support LoveLight’s mission to help sponsor the Blue Hippo Camp in South Africa this summer for some of these youth. It is also somewhat of a 55th birthday party for Busby who reaches “double nickel” status the following Tuesday.
The Rick Show, which has performed almost exclusively in Beaumont, since first forming as a band in 2007, features Austinite Busby and Rick Danna, Kenny Wiebusch and Josh Courts who all hail from the Beaumont area. The music of The Rick Show is a mixture of original material written by Busby and Danna, who first began performing together in 2000, and a diverse collection of covers that spans the last 60 years of music and encompasses a large swath of artists from that span. The set list continues to grow to this day, which is why they say, “You never know what you’ll hear at The Rick Show.” But one thing is for certain, if you join the party, pretty soon they will play a song you love.
“Strawberry Moon,” which was initially released digitally in late-2012, is Busby’s second full-length release. It was produced in Austin at EAR Studios by Stephen Doster who, along with Austin bassist Randy Stern, will be joining The Rick Show for this special one-time only Austin event.
With Busby turning 55 on May 28th, he wanted to make the show more than just a CD release, which is why he has teamed with LoveLight and Unity Church of the Hills to use the event as a fundraiser to support their partnership mission in South Africa. The LoveLight and UCOH partnership in South Africa has been ongoing for some years and works with youth who are disadvantaged and at risk for the HIV and AIDS epidemic that continues to wreak havoc in their lives. Specifically, the fundraiser will support LoveLight representatives and their trip to South Africa this summer to work with the youth attending the Blue Hippo Summer Camp.
The entire event will be on a Love Offering basis, and 50% of the sales of the “Strawberry Moon” CD will also be donated to Lovelight. There will be burgers, hot dogs and chips on hand, but feel free to bring your own picnic lunch and spread out on the beautiful campus surrounding Unity Oaks Pavilion. If you intend to come to the show, please RSVP to the Facebook Event page, so we can get an approximate head count for planning the burgers and hot dogs. The show is family friendly and there is a great playground area on site, so bring the kids as well. It will be a great afternoon of music and celebration for a great cause and a perfect way to kick off the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Unity Oaks Pavilion is located on the campus of Unity Church of the Hills in North Austin at 9905 Anderson Mill Road, one traffic signal west of 183/Research Blvd. Just turn in when you see the big arch. This will be an event not to be missed, so make your plans right now to attend “The Strawberry Moon CD Release Memorial Weekend Picnic Benefit Double Nickel Birthday Celebration Extravaganza Party.”