Courtesy photo
On Saturday night, The Young and Brave Foundation, a non-profit that helps children with cancer, will throw a benefit evening at Carpinteria’s Plaza Playhouse Theater, offering both an evening of music and a Santa Barbara/Carpinteria premiere screening of a special surf documentary.
The evening is being put on by Steve and Polly Hoganson, former owners of Zoey’s in Ventura, who have been friends with Timmy Curran for years, having hosted several of his gigs. And so it is Timmy Curran, and his friends, are headlining the concert part of the evening that also hosts a raffle and a photography exhibit, both curated by the retired surfer and musician. Mr. Curran will perform with Jesse Taylor and Jesse Carmichael, his former backing band that went on to become Wildcat! Wildcat! Mr. Curran has two young kids, so he can’t tour like those two can.
“They’ve had a ton of success so I’m happy they’re joining me for this show,” he says. “I don’t know how often that’s going to happen in the future.”
This is one of the bigger events he’s played in a long time, so it should be a must-see for fans this weekend, and he’s promising new material.
The Young and Brave Foundation helps families with the medical expenses that occur during cancer treatment. It was started by Timmy’s brother Nathaniel and his friend Matt Coulter after Nathaniel’s girlfriend got leukemia.
“He did a benefit for her and that led to other people asking him to do a benefit for their family, and now it’s turned into the foundation,” Timmy says.
Since starting the foundation a year later, they have helped out families in need, granting over $14,000 just in the last year.
“I hear all the stories,” says Mr. Curran, “And I can’t believe what they do. They call the kids ‘warriors,’ but they lost two last week. For a lot of people that would be too heavy, to constantly be seeing that or getting calls from the families. I admire them both for taking that on.”
The music portion of the evening features Goleta’s Omar Velasco, and Jesse Siebenberg and Max Kasch, both from Ojai.
“Beyond Sight” is a documentary about Brazilian surfer Derek Rabelo, who has been blind from birth. But as Bryan Jennings and Bruno Lemos’ film shows, that did not stop the young man, at 17, to start surfing seriously. He was determined to surf Pipeline, one of the most famous and dangerous surf spots on the North Shore of Oahu. His astounding story features interviews with his parents, the surf coach who took on the challenge of teaching a blind kid to surf, and what happened when the YouTube video of his first attempt went viral across the Internet. The film features Tom Curren, Lakey Peterson, Rob Machado, Kelly Slater, Laird Hamilton and other pros, all of whom have met Mr. Rabelo.
“We’re hoping that any surfers in the area will be on hand at the event to support,” says Polly Hoganson.
Timmy Curran is still surfing, just not as much as his pro days. However, he is still sponsored by companies like Salt Life, which promotes both surfing and fishing, which suits this man.
“When there’s waves I’m surfing, when it’s flat I’m fishing,” he says.
Other than that, he loves the idea of playing venues like the Plaza Playhouse. “My dream tour is just theaters,” he says. “Bars are loud and my music’s mellow, so theaters are the dream.”
Timmy Curran and Friends & “Beyond Sight”
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Plaza Playhouse Theater,
4916 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria
Cost: $20
Information: 684-6380,
www.plazatheatercarpinteria.com