A bass line of support from bands

So, you consider yourself pretty knowledgeable about Charlottesville’s music scene.

Set aside your NCAA bracket for a moment, and just see how well you fare in the musical pool.

Here goes:

One question: Who was the bass player for the following local bands?

l Spike and the Nails,

l The Allstars,

l Bryan and the Bombers,

l Jimmy O and the Ready Teds,

l The Kokomotions,

l Charlie Pastorfield and the Believers,

l Tom Principato Band,

l Doug Jay and the Bluejays,

l Bill Blue Band,

l American Dumpster,

l Ian and the Fire Kings,

l Young Turks,

l Danny Beirne Band,

l Olivarez Trio,

l The Crawdads,

l Bob Girard and the Gladstones,

l Evan Johns and the H-Bombs,

l Tinsley Ellis and the Heartfixers,

l Big Joe Maher.

Time’s up.

The answer: Steve Riggs.

“I met Steve Riggs when he was 14 or 15 years old and he was going to Tandem School,” said the original guitar hero, Charlie Pastorfield. “I had come back to Charlottesville to go to the University of Virginia again, and Steve needed someone to play guitar for his band and I said, ‘Sure.’ ”

That was the start of long history of musical collaborations.

Riggs, as many know, has been providing the beat that has kept Charlottesville dancing for more than 30 years. He also has been one of the active members of the community who has lent his considerable talents by performing at countless benefits for groups and individuals throughout those years.

Saturday night, many of his fellow musicians will be at Fry’s Spring Beach Club to play another benefit concert. This one will be Rockin’ for Riggs.

“Steve Riggs recently suffered a severe heart attack, and because of insurance issues our good friend is in need,” noted another Charlottesville stalwart, Bob Girard, in a recent email.

Riggs is back on his feet, but he is facing a mountain of medical bills.

So, as Charlottesville musicians are wont to do, many of Riggs’ bandmates past, present and maybe even future have come together for a night of free food and one big “monster jam.”

Pastorfield and Girard will be among those old friends.

“When you see one of our brothers or sisters who are still out there doing what they do, and they don’t have any health insurance or they have bad health insurance, you have to come and help,” Pastorfield said. “There are some people who have never performed in benefits, and they are coming.”

Pastorfield was there to see his old friend the day after his heart attack.

“It is amazing how quickly he has recovered,’ he said, “but he hasn’t been able to work and his bills really piled up. We want to do this to help him get caught up.”

Chris Munson, who promotes a lot of the musicians and DJs in town, got the ball rolling on Saturday’s benefit. He calls it a musical event of epic proportions.

“The list of musicians will be endless,” he said. “The superstars of Charlottesville will be there to help their longtime friend.”

Some of the bands scheduled to perform are the Skip Castro Band, the Original Charlottesville Allstars, the Chickenhead Blues Band, Kymystery, American Dumpster, Alligator, the Gladstones, the Rogan Brothers and Ian Gilliam and the Fire Kings with Tom Principato.

Organizers expect there many even be more special guests who might show up to sit in and jam.

So come on out and brush up on your knowledge of some of the city’s finest. And bring your wallet. There is going to be a raffle and a cash bar.

Keep on rockin’, Steve.

DETAILS

Rockin’ for Steve Riggs

6:30 p.m. Saturday

Fry’s Spring Beach Club

$20 suggested donation

http://www.starrhill.musictoday.com

296-1600