The second annual Freezing Man benefit concerts take place this Friday and Saturday, January 9 and 10, in Madison, Wisconsin. The star-studded shows will raise money for Joey’s Song, a charity that supports research into finding treatments and a cure for epilepsy, as well as helps children with special needs.
Videos by American Songwriter
An impressive cast of musicians will be performing at the events, which will be held at the popular Madison venue The Sylvee. Among the well-known participating artists are Go-Go’s guitarist Jane Wiedlin and drummer Gina Schock.
Wiedlin, who was born in Wisconsin, recently chatted with American Songwriter about the concerts.
Asked how she got involved with the charity event, the 67-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer explained that the concerts’ organizer, Joey’s Song founder Mike Gomoll, contacted her when he heard she was originally from Wisconsin.
“He told me about the event, and then I saw the different musicians involved with the event, and I knew a lot of them,” Wiedlin noted. “So, besides the fact that … it’s always a good cause to help children, of course, and besides the fact that it was in Wisconsin, I just thought it’d be really a fun thing to do. You know, like lots of good energy, lots of good musicians. So, I’m going there for a lot of reasons, and I’m super stoked about it.”
Jane said that after she signed on, Gomoll asked her if any of the other Go-Go’s might also want to take part.
“Of course, I thought of Gina right away,” Wiedlin said. “So she’s doing it, too, which will be a lot more fun … ’cause we can hang out.”
More About the Freezing Man Concerts
As previously reported, Garbage drummer and renowned producer Butch Vig, will serve as the Freezing Man concerts’ music director. Wisconsin native Vig is probably best-known as the producer of the classic Nirvana album Nevermind.
The January 9 show will be an intimate, seated event featuring artists performing unplugged and sharing stories behind their songs.
The January 10 concert will be an electric event that will include a “Battle of the Bands” pitting the Vig-led house band, The Know-It-All Boyfriends, against an all-female outfit dubbed The Know-It-All Girlfriends. The two groups will perform songs chosen at random. The electric show also will feature on-stage collaborations, and will culminate with an all-star jam.
Many or all of the various artists on the bill will be performing at both events, including Wiedlin.
Wiedlin on Her Participation in the Shows
Wiedlin said of the January 9 concert, “I think that is gonna be a really fun event, just getting to hear the history behind the songs that people will be performing and stuff. So, I’m really looking forward to that.”
She also revealed, “I’m going to be singing ‘This Town’ from The Go-Go’s’ first album, Beauty and the Beat, which I think is probably my all-time favorite Go-Go’s song. It means a lot to me, and it just has everything to do with kind of how the band started and where we were.”
As for the January 10 concert, Jane described it as “the big rock show.”
She continued, “[T]hat’s a ton of songs, which is really exciting, ’cause, like, everybody loves a cover band, especially one that changes every three minutes. So there’s gonna [be], I guess, all kinds of people jumping on stage [and] jumping off stage.”
Wiedlin also shared, “I’m looking forward to playing some tambourine, as well as guitar. And also, because … my whole career I’ve been a background singer mainly, I really love doing harmonies. So, I’m super stoked to harmonize. And I’ve already like made a list of all my favorite songs on the set list that I want to jump up and sing harmonies on. … [I]t’s gonna be a great night.”
Jane also said she’s excited about taking part in “Battle of the Bands” as a member of The Know-It-All Girlfriends.
“There’s been a lot of fun text messaging, group messaging between the women,” Wiedlin pointed out. She added with a laugh, “I haven’t met a lot of them, and I just can’t wait, because everybody, they just seem like a bunch of spitfires.”
About the Other Artists Performing at the Event
Dozens of other artists also will be performing at the concerts. Among them are Goo Goo Dolls frontman John Rzeznik, The Bangles’ Vicki Peterson, ex-Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum, Tears for Fears singer/bassist Curt Smith, Toto’s Steve Porcaro, Letters to Cleo’s Kay Hanley and Stacy Jones, Garbage’s Duke Erikson, Big Star’s Jody Stephens and Jon Auer, Tracy Bonham, Silversun Pickups’ Brian Aubert and Nikki Monninger, Marshall Crenshaw, Fountains of Wayne’s Chris Collingwood, Eve 6’s Max Collins, Gang of Four drummer Hugo Burnham, Belly bassist Gail Greenwood, Freedy Johnston, Soul Asylum’s Jeremy Tappero and Ryan Smith, The Cowsills’ John Cowsill, and The Lunachicks’ Gina Volpe.
Popular MTV VJ Matt Pinfield will help emcee the events.
Asked who she’s excited to see perform, Wiedlin told American Songwriter, “I think ‘Iris’ is one of the great songs of the ’90s, so I am looking forward to John Rzesznik.”
She also mentioned Volpe, explaining that “The Lunachicks opened for [The Go-Go’s] on tour decades ago. So, it’ll be nice to reconnect.”
Jane added, “I can’t wait to see my friend Kay Hanley from Letters to Cleo. And, of course, Vicki Peterson.”
Wiedlin pointed out that “Peterson actually played with The Go-Go’s one year when Charlotte [Caffey] was too pregnant to go on tour. So, Vicki’s an old friend.”
She also revealed, “[W]e’re doing a song that [Vicki] wrote for The Bangles. I’m not gonna give it away, but it’s an amazing song. I wasn’t familiar with it, but I’m so excited to be playing it.”
The January 10 Concert Will Be Livestreamed, Plus Other Details About the Show
The January 10 Freezing Man concert will be livestreamed for free on the Joey’s Song YouTube channel. The show is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. CT. Fans who want to view the event are encouraged to donate money to the charity.
The January 9 concert is sold out. A limited number of tickets for the January 10 concert are still available for purchase at Ticketmaster.
Proceeds raised by the shows will benefit CURE Epilepsy, select Epilepsy Foundation affiliates, and Wisconsin Badger Camp.
Joey’s Song is a nonprofit organization founded by Gomoll, whose son, Joseph, died in 2010 at age four after suffering from Dravet Syndrome, a debilitating form of epilepsy. The charity uses music events as its chief vehicle to raise money to support its initiatives and goals.
Over the years, benefit concerts for Joey’s Song have raised more than $1.75 million.
A Charity Auction Will Raise Additional Funds for Joey’s Song
Additional money will be raised for the organization via an auction featuring meet-and-greets and various signed memorabilia items. Bidding can be done online at GiveButter.com or in person. The items being sold include guitars, other instruments, albums, drumheads, posters, and more.
The Go-Go’s have donated an autographed guitar to the auction. Wiedlin also has contributed an autographed Green Bay Packers jersey and a signed copy of More Fun in the New World, a book about the history of the Los Angeles punk scene.
(Photo by Arnold Neimanis)
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