Today/Tonight: Remembering Chris Bean, at Big Star Bar

Damn. It sure feels like this has been happening a lot lately, and it really, truly sucks — by my count, that’s three young, cool people gone in the past 12 months, with Chris Bean the latest. I didn’t know the guy, but I’ve heard good, good things about him; it’s really a tragedy to see somebody pass away that young.

People in the scene who knew Bean are coming together tonight (yeah, it’s late), Saturday, July 28th, up at Big Star Bar, for something they’re calling Bean: A Memorial Celebrating the Amazing Life of Chris Bean. It’ll run from 4-8PM, so you can go and still have time to hit one of the other bazillion shows going on…

Some damn good people are giving their time & talent to try to raise some money with this benefit/memorial show, too, which is very cool — poppy, smart punks {Something Fierce} are playing, as are {The Mahas}, who’re apparently reforming(?) for this show, Mike Wiebe, who you might know from the Riverboat Gamblers, and the Fistful of Soul DJs.

Bean was a Mission Control Flight Engineer at NASA, so the proceeds will go to fund a Bean Memorial Scholarship to Space Camp, to encourage kids who want to follow the same path he did. Beyond that, folks are also trying to set up a scholarship at Auburn, his alma mater. Show up, raise a glass, rock out, and donate if you can.