Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend
Feb. 8, 2013 By Christian Murray
A Long Island City bar is paying homage to the British rock legends The Who by raising funds on behalf of that band’s favorite charity.
The Who stepped in and helped LIC Bar, located at 45-58 Vernon Blvd., a few weeks after Hurricane Sandy struck, by replacing its sound system. The bar’s basement—where the piano, organ and amplifiers were located– was flooded with 7 feet of water. The pub was closed for 20 days.
LIC Bar will be holding a concert on Saturday, February 23, from 8pm through 11pm. The main act will be The Who tribute band “Who’s Next.” Tickets cost $20 and attendees will be in the draw to win a Gibson Guitar autographed by Pete Townshend. All proceeds will go to charity.
Brian Porter, the owner of the bar, said he aims to raise about $7,000. He said that he will make sure the event finishes at 11 pm and will be mindful of the volume.
Originally, LIC Bar was going to hold a fundraiser to generate funds to restock its equipment. However, when The Who made its donation, the bar decided to raise funds for a charity—The Teenage Cancer Trust.
The Who is a big sponsor of the trust. Teenage cancer suffers often find themselves falling between the cracks– since they are placed in the pediatric section before hitting 18, and then find themselves with adults.
