GARY AVILA has a beautiful dream. The San Jose native and longtime South Bay band manager, who hit the big time when he oversaw Papa Roach’s breakout success, had his life shattered when he lost his wife, Maribel, to cancer. Though now raising his daughter in Southern California, he got the idea of returning to the Bay Area to organize concerts benefiting the City of Hope Cancer Hospital that helped him and his wife in their most desperate times.
His first show was a sold-out Slim’s date in San Francisco in January featuring Psychefunkapus, Fungo Mungo and the Limbomaniacs. Now he’s returning to his hometown Friday for a second benefit at VooDoo Lounge, featuring Gilroy hip-hop fusion heroes Salmon, who are reuniting just for this occasion. (Avila already has a proven talent for getting bands back together for a good cause.) Also performing are Insolence, Tribal Disco Noise and Los Bastardos de Amor.
But Avila’s dream is bigger than that. He wants to see San Jose become a leader in the fight against cancer, and has enlisted City Councilmember Judy Circo, who knows the importance of the issue all too well, in his crusade. So expect to see him home a lot more, with more music events that will make a splash. Maribel would be proud.
The CITY OF HOPE BENEFIT featuring Salmon is Friday (Feb. 19) at 9pm at VooDoo Lounge, 14 S. Second St., San Jose. Tickets are $15, available through Ticketweb.
