When the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida tore through northern New Jersey at the end of the summer, Hillside Elementary School's basement was not spared. The flood damage especially affected the gifted & talented magnet's aesthetics classrooms and the specialized equipment and supplies they hold.
Montclair rock musician and PTA member Jason Didner understood the personal impact of the damage. His daughter, a fifth grader, is an avid gymnastics student, who now finds herself with limited apparatus. The mats in the gymnastics room were ruined in the flooding. "I really want to do something about this situation, so I'm putting my ability to entertain to good use," said Jason about his plans for a virtual fundraiser concert.
That concert will take place on Saturday evening, November 13 at 8:00pm on the online performance platform Live Streamer Cafe. In this show, Jason will feature his original songs like "You Can't Get There from Here in Jersey" and his new songs, like "Run With My Troubles," intended to encourage listeners to care for their mental health through stressful times like the current pandemic and the aftermath of the tropical storm. He will also take requests through the Live Streamer Cafe interface. His songbook includes selections by Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Billy Joel, Otis Redding, Journey and many other of his favorite classic rock artists.
Jason began performing online concerts last fall as weather got too cold to comfortably gather outdoors. Vaccines were not yet available to make gatherings indoors of any size safe. Several of his concerts were fundraisers to support Hackensack University Medical Center's organ transplant program, The Codey Fund, Mental Health Association and Montclair Ambulance Unit and Fire Department. Jason had also participated in a larger virtual concert called Big Man's Bash, celebrating the life of the late Clarence "Big Man" Clemons from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and raising funds for Boys and Girls Club.
The Live Streamer Cafe site makes the virtual concert experience more engaging and social, encouraging audience members to make requests, select animated compliments for the artist that appear in the chat section, and even compete with each other in a friendly game of collecting virtual coffeehouse style treats, like cups of coffee, tea and muffins.
Donations are optional but highly appreciated. Jason will donate all proceeds collected at the November 13 show to the Hillside Elementary School PTA after PayPal or Venmo take out any processing fees. To attend the show, go to livestreamercafe.com about 10 minutes before showtime and create an account based on your email address. Then log in and click Jason's icon on the home page of the site to enter his lounge.
