Dustin Mele Memorial Concert returns
TROY, N.Y. » Music is carrying on the memory of one local man as his family plans to host the fifth annual Dustin Mele Memorial Concert.
This year the event will feature Soul Sky, Super 400, Emerald City and, back for a special reunion, the original lineup of The Burners UK. These popular area acts will perform beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Brown’s Revolution Hall, located at 425 River St. in Troy.
Founded by Dustin’s father and longtime local musician Joe Mele, the yearly concert is a fundraiser to prevent suicide and raise awareness about the epidemic, to which Joe lost his son in 2012.
This year, proceeds will be donated to will benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Rensselaer County Department of Mental Health Intervention Services.
Since the benefit show was founded five years ago, thousand of dollars have been donated in Dustin’s name. With the 2018 event, Joe is aiming to reach a grand total of $ 65,000 raised and donated over the past five years.
Along with the fundraising aspect of this event, the concert began as, and still serves as, a way for Joe to cope with his son’s passing.
“I just can’t tell people how much this helps me personally,” said Joe, whose wife, Jenn, and daughter, Lindsay, are also involved in organizing the show.
Though producing the event is a lot of work and it can sometimes bring up sad memories, Joe said, “It’s a good thing. It keeps his name out here, and raising money for these charities in his name. It definitely helps me mentally.”
When Joe first started this effort, he discovered an overwhelming amount of support from the local music community. From the dozens of area musicians who have performed at the event over the last four years, to Brown’s Brewing Company providing the venue each year, to the The Burners UK reuniting with its original lineup for this special occasion - Joe’s fellow musicians and the larger community are always generous in helping with this initiative.
Over the last five years Joe, being a talented and respected local guitarist as well as a loving dad, has made the Dustin Mele Memorial Concert a successful tradition. “Everyone and their mother is more than willing to come out and do this out of respect for Joe and, of course, for the cause that we’re raising money for,” said Vito Ciccarelli of 6 String Music Management and music director at WVCR 88.3 FM.
While the music is a draw for many at the concert, the purpose is preventing suicide, particularly among young people, Joe explained. “The whole point of this whole thing is just really for awareness, to try to help these kids,” he said. “Kids need help, and if I could save one kid in Dustin’s name doing all of this, putting all of this effort into it, that’s what this thing is really all about. It isn’t about the entertainment. It isn’t about how popular bands are - it’s really about trying to raise money to get to these organizations for prevention and mental health issues. We’re trying to save kids.”
More information on the annual Dustin Mele Memorial Concert can be found online at www.facebook. com/DustinMeleMemorial.
Attendees are asked to pay a $20 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.