Laura Ann's Benefit Show: Backwards Clock Society Featuring Billy Corgan, Kissing Cousins & More

Sunday night at the Echoplex I was witness to a perspective changing event. In the past I've been skeptical of human nature, the first to argue against any inherent "goodness" that might be inside all of us. I tend to believe people to be no greater than the sum of their selfish biological urges, enslaved by envy and greed in a way divorced from ethics or morality; it just simply is the product of the human animal. That's Laura Ann in the above picture. Her, Billy Corgan, and Josiah Mazzaschi would teach me a lesson on human nature.

A couple of months ago my friend and co-worker Laura Ann was in a serious motorcycle accident that nearly claimed Laura's foot below the ankle. After a number of surgeries and with plenty more rehab ahead of her, Laura Ann has been left out of work and wheelchair bound for the forseeable future:

Strapped for cash and buried in medical debt, Laura Ann's good friend Josiah decided to do something about it in the way of throwing her a benefit show at the local club Spaceland. His band Light FM had just finished a residency there and he knew a number of other acts connected to Laura Ann that would be willing to donate their time to make it an awesome show. Through his perseverance and big picture thinking, Josiah was able to get the show moved to a much larger venue, secure amazing raffle prizes from a variety of local businesses and book Laura Ann's long time friend, Billy Corgan, to headline the show.

I must also admit I have also been skeptical of benefit shows in the past, even though Summer Darling has played their fair share of them. But people showed up in droves and supported the cause last night. By my count at least 350 people paid the cover, bought raffle tickets, bought merch from the bands (all proceeds going to Laura), and ate BBQ (also donated by the delicious Pasadena Pig Shack, or something like that).

The bands didn't disappoint. I of course caught the Kissing Cousins set, who despite being a bit nervous to play a large stage that would soon be occupied by one of Heather's musical heros, stomped out some viciously conceived rock and roll.

I happened to catch some of the Pity Party's set and Light FM. The Pity Party played a stonier, darker set than I've seen before while Light FM masterfully cruised through their catchy power pop songs. The stage was then relinquished to Mr. Corgan and the Backwards Clock Society.

Some of the songs were downright hooky, some of the songs were soaked in delay, but all of the songs featured Billy Corgan fucking melting faces with his guitar. The solo is a tired worn tool of the modern rock song, except when the artist is able to breathe a fiery new life into it. Corgan played each solo with a mix of impassioned gestures and wicked nonchalance, even looking up from time to time to smirk at the audience as if to say, "Yeah, I just pulled that off and I made it look fucking easy." His on-stage demeanor was one of solidarity and respect for Laura Ann, the audience and the cause. He said some very nice things about Laura and seemed genuinely proud to be a part of the function. We later learned that Corgan donated the bass and drumset used on the Gish sessions to be auctioned off on Ebay with 100 percent of the proceeds going to Laura. That's classy.

The night ended with a tearful thank you from Laura Ann, who somehow managed to get herself in her wheelchair up on stage with the help of Josiah and Corgan. The night forced me to reevaluate my perception of human nature and more specifically, benefit shows. I am proud to have been a small part of a truly successful and inspiring evening and woke up this morning knowing that a huge difference was made in Laura's life.