Basic Aid – The 3rd Annual Basic

Human Needs Benefit

By Geoff North

Jess and Dan are good people.  I knew this before, of course, but now I really know it.  For those of you not familiar with Jess and Dan, they are two former Taichung expats who wanted to make a difference in the world.  A few years ago, they decided to give up the comforts of Western/Taiwanese life and moved to India to help underprivileged children.  They started an organization called Basic Human Needs in Varanasi, India.  Since 2004, they have been giving hope to children by providing them with free schooling, shelter and medicine. 

I was fortunate this past winter to see Basic Human Needs first hand.  My girlfriend and I were traveling through India and we visited Jess and Dan for close to a week.  We were impressed by what they had already achieved in only a little over two years. 

They have set up a school for the children, where they teach them art, music, and English (many volunteers come to the school to teach other subjects as well).  They have organized a free medical clinic, something so essential for this impoverished area of India where there is always a high risk of disease.  They have also set up a hostel where many of the students live.  When I say these children are underprivileged, it is an understatement.  These children come from the streets.  Some have no parents.  They are extremely poor.  Jess and Dan have given them a free place to live.  They give them free food and shelter.  They give them love and hope. 

Basic Aid will be the third annual benefit for Basic Human Needs.  Previous benefits were held at DongXing Park and Grooveyard but Basic Aid will prove to be a lot different.  It is a two day concert being held on May 19th and 20th at the beautiful natural venue Moonshine Hill in Nanhu, Miaoli County (about an hour north of Taichung).   Owned and run by a couple named Janet and Yariv, Moonshine Hill is in the beautiful tree-lined mountains of Nanhu. Complete with a bar/restaurant, toilets/showers, camping grounds and a huge rock (the mineral not the genre of music) stage carved out of the side of a mountain, Moonshine Hill is a perfect venue for this year’s benefit.

Live music will kick off early Saturday afternoon and go late into the night.  Sunday will have live music from early afternoon until sunset.  The line-up for this year’s benefit is:

Militant Hippi
The Anglers
Faye and the Slacks
The Idiots
Money Shot Horns
Viba
Native Space
Round Midnight
Dirty Skies

Catnip
Dr. Reniculous Lips
City of Earth
The M.A.G.I.
Rocket Grrrl!
4 in Funk Affair
… and other special guests

Starting Saturday morning on May 19th, a shuttle bus will leave the Grooveyard for Moonshine Hill every three hours (a vice-versa from the venue itself).  Admission for Basic Aid is 500NT for the weekend or 700NT for admission with use of the shuttle service.  Tickets are on sale now at Grooveyard and Sahara Café in Taichung.  A schedule of events, map/directions to the venue, shuttle schedule, as well as ticket information for other outlets can be found on our website www.myspace.com/basicaid.

Basic Aid is going to be a great event for a great cause.  We hope to see you all there!

To learn more about Basic Human Needs go to: www.basichumanneeds.net      To learn more about Basic Aid go to: www.myspace.com/basicaid
           

Also see our sister site for music and pictures: www.myspace.com/basicaidmusic

If you have any questions or would like to sponsor Basic Aid, please feel free to contact Geoff or Paul at: basicaid@hotmail.com