June 12, 2005 — The Plugged In Teen Band Program presents "Setting the Stage for Hope," a benefit concert for Tsunami Relief at the Regent Theatre in Arlington on Sunday, June 12 from 2:00-7:00 p.m.

”Setting the Stage for Hope is a collaboration between Music for Relief, a non-profit organization started by members of Linkin Park and the American Red Cross to aid tsunami victims, and Plugged In, a non-profit teen rock band program. The concert will feature well-known local bands including State Radio, the group formed by former Dispatch guitarist, Chad Urmston ( www.stateradio.com); the So and So’s (winner of a 2005 Boston Music Award for Local Album of the Year, www.soandsos.com), Venus Bullet ( www.venusbullet.com), eight Plugged In bands, and other special guests. The event will also include a silent auction featuring valuable sports and music memorabilia.

“The teens that are part of Plugged In were struck by the devastation caused by the tsunami and wanted to help out as best they could,” said Sandra Rizkallah, founder of Plugged In. “Collaborating with Music for Relief is a great way for them to use their musical talents for the good of others.”

“Music for Relief was started by musicians to aid victims of disasters, and to encourage other musicians to be involved with relief efforts,” said Ryan DeMarti of Music for Relief. “It’s great to see that young, up-and-coming musicians are conscious of relief efforts and realize the importance of participating.”

Plugged In is a non-profit organization providing music education and instruction to teenagers interested in starting a rock band and performing in a concert.  As the music industry is dominated by business, money, success and fame, Plugged In aims to infuse their students’ music experience with social consciousness by using the final concert as a benefit to support causes important to them.

Past concerts have raised money for the Cam Neely Foundation for Cancer Care; I Love Music Foundation, started by Walter McCarty of the Boston Celtics, to promote music opportunities, resources and education for Boston youth; Bring Back the Music, a Young Audience of Massachusetts program providing weekly instrumental instruction to fourth and fifth grade students at Boston Public Schools; and Seeds of Peace, a camp in Maine where Jewish and Arab teenagers learn conflict resolution, and the Mass Tobacco

Free Coalition.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students, and can be purchased by calling the Regent Theatre @ 781-646-4TIX (4849) or online at www.regenttheatre.com.

For more information on Plugged In, please visit www.pluggedinband.org, e-mail srizkallah@comcast.net, or call 781-956-4281.  For more information on Music for Relief, please visit www.musicforrelief.org.

About the Plugged in Teen Band Progam

Plugged In Teen Band Program was established in 2002 by Tom Pugh and Sandra Rizkallah. Pugh, Berklee alumni and musician for 30 years, is the music director for the Plugged In program.  He is a member of two Boston-based bands and has played at the Montreal Jazz Festival.  He has also been an engineer at WGBH in Boston for over 20 years.  Sandra Rizkallah has a degree in film and television from Emerson College, has produced her own documentaries and has worked in the post-production department of NOVA at WGBH.

About Music For Relief

Comprised of musicians and music industry professionals, MUSIC FOR RELIEF seeks to bring the music community together under one blanket to maximize the efforts to create awareness and raise funds for those in need. The organization hopes to expand efforts to an ongoing global scale and have the resources to be able to mobilize the music community and music fans to help various causes throughout the world when the need should arise.