Revolution Hall to host memorial concert
TROY, N.Y. >> An annual Collar City concert has become a way of coping with tragedy for one local father, as well as a successful fundraising effort that benefits local and national nonprofit organizations.
The fourth annual Dustin Mele Memorial Concert will take place at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Brown’s Revolution Hall, located at 425 River St. in Troy.
The show will feature Emerald City, the Ernie Williams Tribute Band with Jeremy Walz, Off the Record Trio featuring Bill Harrison, The Kyle Bourgault Band, Matt Mirable Band with Frank Daley and Tony Perrino’s Killer B with Pete Sweeney, Lucas Ruedy, Matt Hatfield, Tom Murphy, Trish Anderson, Dave Max, Chris Busone, Todd Hanhurst, Kenny Hohman and Lori Friday.
Area musician Joe Mele, who plays in Emerald City and other bands, started this yearly concert after losing his son Dustin to suicide in 2013.
A veteran of more than 40 years on the local music circuit, Joe rallied area musicians to raise awareness of the growing suicide problem. Dustin’s friends and family believe that through erasing the stigma of depression and making proper mental health care more easily available, lives can be saved.
Over the pats few years, the Dustin Mele Memorial Concerts have raised nearly $25,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s suicide awareness and prevention programs, making it one of foundation’s top fundraising teams in Upstate New York for two years in a row.
Additionally, this year’s concert will also benefit two local charities: the Lansingburgh Boys & Girls Club, and the Companion Animal Placement Program.
“I’m turning this tragedy around to raise money for these charities,” said Mele, who is still devastated by the loss of his son.
“Being a musician all of my life, I just turned to my musical family and the musical community - and they saved my life. Doing this saved my life,” he said. “It’s the only thing keeping me afloat. If I didn’t have this outlet, I don’t know what I would do.”
Mele has seen a huge outpouring of support from his community. “There’s so many people that know me and know my family and want to support it, so I’m really lucky,” he said.
“Joe is like a brother to me, and has a heart as big as a mountain,” said event coordinator Vito Ciccarelli. “Being by his side since Dustin passed, and seeing his pain, broke my heart. We’ve produced countless shows together over the years, but this one is most special to me, because I see it eases his sadness. It takes a strong man to live through what he has. The outpouring of love and support from his many friends attending the benefit over the past few years, is a testiment of what Joe Mele means to the music community.”
With plenty of support behind him, Mele plans to continue the Dustin Mele Memorial Concerts in years to come.” Every year it gets better and better,” Mele said.
The ultimate goal of the Dustin Mele Memorial Concert is to increase awareness and prevention, in a world where suicide is at epidemic proportions and touches more and more lives and families every day.
“When I started this thing, I said to myself ‘If I could just do this, put all of this effort into it, and give some kid 10 seconds of clarity not to make this decision, that’s all I’m after, to save kids and just raise awareness,’” Mele said.
While the mission is important, the concert itself is also a great opportunity for event-goers to enjoy local music. “The list of bands that are playing is nothing short of phenomenal,” said Jim Anderson, a veteran promoter of major musical events in the Capital Region and around the country. “I think it’s a tribute to Joe Mele that a lot of these band members are guys that he grew up with and are his musical brothers for several decades. The younger bands performing are people that grew up idolizing him and bands that he played in, and now they’re carrying that music forward for a new generation.”
For more information on the Annual Dustin Mele Memorial Concert, visit www.facebook.com/DustinMeleMemorial.
There is a $10 suggested donation at the door.
Those who are unable to attend Saturday’s concert, but would still like to donate to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in honor of Dustin Mele can visit afsp.donordrive.com/participant/DustinMele.