ORANGE PARK – Three bands came together for the concert of the season, all to benefit St. Michaels Soldiers and veterans in our community.

On Saturday, Oct. 13, the Thrasher-Horne Center hosted the Help Somebody 5 Benefit concert featuring southern rock legends the Atlanta Rhythm Section, the hard rock group the Pat Travers Band and Clay County’s own southern rock group, the Curt Towne Band.

The Help Somebody 5 was the fifth the Thrasher Horne and St. Michaels soldiers have brought to the stage, and all proceeds benefit St. Michaels Soldiers, the Homegrown Kindness Project and Thrasher Horne’s own work in supporting local artists and musicians in our community.

The concert opened with the Curt Towne Band, which was formed in the Westside of Jacksonville in 2013, right in the center of St. Michaels operations. They performed songs from their EP “Whatcha Gonna Do”, perfect for fans of southern rock. The group certainly knows how to perform, with the bassist and guitarist dueling it out on stage, and the vocalists bringing the energy with clapping and stomping that got the audience on their feet.

As the Pat Travers Band came to the stage, the difference was abrupt but altogether entertaining. “We’re the Pat Travers Band and we’re gonna kick your ass” was a perfect tagline as the group launched into the drum-heavy guitar solo of “Boom Boom [Out Go the Lights].”

Their wailing guitar solos and heavy drum and bass-line definitely made me think of how my own parents react to my music taste. There’s a universal enjoyment found in rocking out with a crowd and you can’t help but smile and sing along to the contagious energy they had on stage during numbers such as “Black Pearl” and “Retro Rocket”.

Finally, the Atlanta Rhythm Section, arguably the highlight of the evening. The group has been a large part of the southern rock scene since the early ‘70s when they originally formed.

They played a selection of some of their greatest hits, and fan favorites “Champagne Jam” and “Spooky” got the crowd to their feet dancing and singing along. Classic Rock is classic for a reason, and The Atlanta Rhythm Section absolutely lived up to their Georgia Music Hall of Fame status.

St. Michaels soldiers dedicate themselves to supporting deployed soldiers in the U.S. Military. They benefit all branches and especially offer their support to those injured in the line of duty that live in Clay County and Northeast Florida. The Homegrown Kindness project is a new initiative for St. Michaels Soldiers that provides random and planned acts of kindness to local first responders, their families, and those that just need a little kindness that day.

Thrasher-Horne has always been involved with the community and this isn’t the first benefit concert partnership they’ve been a part of. Thrasher Horne itself is a non-profit performing arts center that often spotlights local artists in their gallery, provides places for small concerts or events in their event halls, and offers opportunities for local bands and musicians.