Ben Folds is a man of many faces. Whether he’s a judge on NBC’s “The Sing Off,” befuddling Chatroulette users, or covering Dr. Dre songs, it can’t be denied that he’s a hell of a performer. In addition to his longstanding musical career, Folds has an altruistic side, having contributed to Operation Smile, a global organization which helps repair facial deformities in children, and most recently to Tucson’s Fund for Civility, Respect and Understanding.
Founded by the family of Ron Barber, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ district director and a victim of the Jan. 8 shooting, the Fund for Civility is a testament to Tucson’s ongoing recovery from the tragic shooting last year through community service and unity.
On Jan. 15, Ben Folds and Tucson natives and local favorite Calexico are headlining the Concert for Civility at the historic Fox Tucson Theatre. The concert, the second of its kind, is organized with the ideal that the community can be reminded of its need to act as a strong and cohesive foundation on which a sense of local pride can be wrought. Folds and Calexico will be accompanied by local acts such as the Silver Thread Trio and Mariachi Luz De Luna to further enhance the provincial theme.
In the same vein as Luz de Vida, a compilation album featuring Tucson and Tucson-related acts produced by Fort Lowell Records, this concert is sure to promote the idea of community by utilizing one of the most powerful unifying tools we have — loud and proud local music.