Annual music festival to benefit EEF

On Sunday, Jan. 15, Band Aid School of Music will be presenting the 10th annual Jam Fest. Jam Fest will not only allow kid bands to show off their skills, but will benefit Eanes ISD by giving the ticket sales to the Eanes Education Foundation.

“Jam Fest is special ’cause it covers all the bases: rock ‘n’ roll, fun, friends and giving back to a good cause,” Jam Fest director James Mays said. “Playing music feels great, and listening to music feels great. Helping out our community and making it stronger feels great.”

The show includes some of Austin’s top U21 bands, such as Stealth Chopper, Shooting Star Wars, The New Black Apples, Goo, Zero Gravity, Moonjack, Aidan Perez and Special Guests Weatherly. The tickets are $5, and are available for purchase if you know someone who plays in one of the bands, or online at facebook.com/jamfestATX. Historically, there has been good turnout.

“The Belmont holds 800 [people],” Mays said. “We usually have around 500 attendees and eight-10 bands. Band Aid School of Music has always produced and promoted the event. Artists from all over Austin play each year. Lots of them happen to go to Westlake High. Some of the Westlake students this year are Maddie Silvestro, Emily Weller, Jacob Rothfus, Josh Meyers and Aidan Perez. I’m sure there are more.”

Jam Fest has been going on since 2007, and has been a hit every time.

“The only way you can possibly know how cool Jam Fest is, is to come check it out for yourselves,” Mays said. “Bring friends and hear some great tunes. I like to remember how lucky I am to live in Austin, the live-music capital. I support our local musicians ’cause they make Austin cool — and weird.”