Five Towns Band to Play Hofstra Radio Fundraiser

A band featuring two graduates will perform on Thursday evening at in Wantagh to raise funds for Long Island's oldest non-commercial radio station.

The RBC — featuring Hewlett 2002 graduates Andrew Gedacht (vocals/guitar) and John Carey (bass/backup vocals) as well as Merrick native Mike Celano (drums) and Jimmy McGerald of Bay Shore (melodica) — will perform its locally popular dub-reggae-jam sound at the Hofstra Radio Alumni Association's (HRAA) first radio concert showcase to benefit 88.7 FM WRHU (Radio Hofstra University).

"WRHU is our roots," Celano said. "It's the birthplace of the RBC and we're happy to be a part of the event and show support, just like they would do for us."

Gedacht, Carey and Celano were all members of WRHU in the mid 2000s. The RBC have made strides as a band in recent years including having the opportunity to perform at the annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Tennessee with the likes of Dave Matthews Band, Stevie Wonder, John Fogerty, and Jay-Z.

Headlining the show is CFR, which mixes its Brooklyn-born, California-infused funk-soul-R&B to create a smooth sound anyone can dance to. CFR also features members who were formerly a part of WRHU, an award-winning college station that consists mainly of students and community volunteers.

Northport native Andy Gladding, a bassist for CFR who was an active member of WRHU from 2001-2004 and the organizer of Thursday’s HRAA fundraiser, said he wants to see his old college station continue to thrive and pointed out the importance of fundraising for a non-commercial station like WRHU. CFR and the RBC are both playing Thursday’s Mulcahy’s fundraiser for free as a way to give back to the college radio station they once called home.

“I’ve been pushing hard to try and make this particular event a success so we can do it on a regular basis,” said Gladding, who credited Mulcahy's for their support in organizing Thursday's music fundraiser. “It is really important for a station like WRHU to focus on music because it’s a non-commercial station playing bands you are not going to hear in the mainstream and it gives a chance for the artists to get exposed. Plus, it allows the station to foster local music, which really is not happening anywhere anymore.”

WRHU has been the home of many Hofstra graduates who went on to excel in media careers, such as Alan Colmes, who co-hosted the hit Fox News Channel television show “Hannity & Colmes” from 1996 to 2009, and Dan Ingram, who was an on-air personality at WABC for 21 years. WRHU was named the fifth most popular college radio station in the country by Princeton Review this past summer and is entering its second year as the on-air home of the New York Islanders with students playing a central role in the broadcasts.

Doors open for Thursday’s HRAA radio concert showcase at 7 p.m. with the show scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Admission is $10 with all proceeds going toward furthering the educational mission of WRHU.