Yo Soybean brings party folk to Blackbird for benefit concert

This past Friday’s snowy weather put a halt to many Milledgeville activities, but the one-day delay of a Soles for Soles benefit concert did not put a damper on the spirits of the band Yo Soybean. The Atlanta-based band took a break from its Southeastern tour to play a benefit concert at Blackbird Coffee on Feb. 13.

Soles for Soles is a project created by GCSU alumna Sara Costello to provide aid to children at a special needs school in Cusco, Peru, where she volunteered for three months. “Soles for Soles is incredible. I love that Sara can just go to a place and realize that there’s a need and then fulfill it. Most people just don’t have that strength,” said Ryan Sedgwick, who sings vocals and plays the djembe, a type of drum, for Yo Soybean.

The other band members include guitarist and lead vocalist Nicholas Mallis and Andrew Klein, who plays the banjo and slide guitar. Despite their music’s serious subject matter, the members of Yo Soybean call their style “party folk.”

“It’s like, ‘I’m really sad and upset, but we’re all having a party because of it,’ ” Mallis said.

The set list included songs off Yo Soybean’s current album, “Feathers of Aluminum,” such as “The Deed” and “Apparition,” and it also played a new song, “Breathing Down Our Necks.”

The band’s goal for the night was to promote Soles for Soles, but its enduring goal is for audience members to have fun with the music.

“When you’re listening to it live, it’s just a good time,” Sedgwick said.

Yo Soybean’s audience interaction, numerous David Bowie references and musical style entertained the crowd.

“It’s refreshing to hear something different in a college town when you usually just hear rock or hip-hop,” said Haley Janas, a junior education major. “They commanded the room.”

Concert attendees were also impressed with the time and energy the band put forth to promote Soles for Soles.

“I like the fact that a successful, non-mainstream band took the opportunity to play at a benefit concert here in Milledgeville,” junior history major Andy Gurbal said.

Along with Soles for Soles T-shirts, coffee mugs and bags, Yo Soybean merchandise and CDs were sold at the concert. Fifty percent of the profits from the band’s merchandise sales went to Soles for Soles, helping the project reach its monthly goal of over $1,000.

After its stop in Milledgeville, Yo Soybean continued its tour in Florida, and its album, “Feathers of Aluminum,” is currently available on iTunes and Amazon.com. Its new EP, “The Townie Sessions,” will be available in March.

Costello was happy with everyone who attended the benefit concert.

“The audience was a really fun group of very authentic, encouraging people who seemed to have a really great time,” Costello said.

She said she believes that the concert would boost the spirits of the Peruvian children that Soles for Soles benefits.

“I really feel like it was a really proper way to show commitment to the kids in Peru. I think that they’d be really happy to see everyone get together to support them,” she said.

Posted by Courtney Kelly on Feb 19 2010. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry