“Here Comes the Sun” Draws 1,000 Beatles Fans Out For Fundraiser

beatles_at_the_barn_2012_1The crowd at County Line Orchard’s annual Beatles at the Barn fundraiser might have been pleased to help raise more than $10,000 for the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, but most of them were there for the music. XRock 103.9 DJ Tom Lounges MC’ed the event, which featured popular local bands The Crawpuppies and Chris and Lou. The bands performed a huge selection of Beatles tunes both individually and as an ensemble group they dubbed The MEGABEATLES. The audience, many wearing their favorite Beatles tee shirts, buttons, and hats, danced and sang along with the classic tunes for more than 4 ½ hours.  By the end of the all-ages show, children, exhausted from dancing, lay spread out on the dance floor.

This is the third year County Line Orchard has hosted the fundraiser. This year’s theme was “Here Comes the Sun,” and Orchard owner Tom Collins Sr. said this year’s turnout was the biggest yet. “The first year we had almost 800. Last year…I think it was around 700. I think this year we probably hit 900 to 1000…and the crowd stuck around.”

Collins was inspired to create the event after he and friend Kurt Kusmiz saw Chris and Lou perform at the Old Style Inn in Valparaiso. County Line had recently built a new 30,000 square foot barn, and it seemed like a great venue for a large concert. Collins thought “Maybe we can help out some charities as well.” Collins pitched the idea to The Crawpuppies’s lead singer Chad Clifford, who also owns Front Porch Music. Chris and Lou were brought on board, and the result was an amazing night of music, food and fun.beatles_at_the_barn_2012_3

“Here Comes the Sun” raffled off a Martin HD-28 acoustic guitar, a Gretsch 6122 Country Gentlemen electric guitar, and a Rickenbacker 360 12-string guitar, as well as a Vox amp and several Beatles themed goodie baskets donated by Collins, Front Porch Music and several of the more than 18 other local sponsors. Collins said “We try to come up with ideas on Beatles instruments every year, the first year we gave away some Ringo Ludwig drums. Last year we gave away a nice John Lennon 75th anniversary J-160, and an Epiphone Casino… It’s kind of a Beatles thing.”

The Crawpuppies’s bassist Aaron Hedges says he loves playing the event. “This only happens once a year. We play the Beatles all the time, but never like this. Never a full show. You need all these people to do it.”

The Crawpuppies and Chris and Lou are very active groups who perform around Northwest Indiana year round. The Crawpuppies can next be seen on April 27th at T. J. Maloney’s Irish Pub in Merrillville. Chris and Lou perform most Thursday nights at Old Style Inn in Valparaiso. While both bands perform Beatles tunes in their regular sets, they also write original music and have CD’s available for purchase on their websites.

More photos from the event can be found here.