BRAD featuring Stone Gossard and Shawn Smith Set For Music Matters "LIVE" May 12 at Paramount

SEATTLE, WA, April 2012 - Seattle's BRAD with Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard, Shawn Smith, Regan Hagar and Keith Lowe will perform with The Synergia Northwest Orchestra in Music Matters "LIVE!" on May 12, 2012 at The Paramount Theatre to benefit school music programs throughout Washington State. The annual event features the orchestra on stage with of some of the Pacific Northwest's most high profile rock and pop recording artists and selected student musicians. BRAD's new studio album United We Stand was recently released on Razor & Tie Records on April 24th, and the label has licensed the band's entire catalog of albums to be re-released in multiple deluxe configurations later this year.

Other highlights of the evening will include performances by Vicci Martinez, who captured a national audience on season one of The Voice; Yes's Grammy award-winning Alan White and White; X-Factor alumni LeRoy Bell and His Only Friends; guitarist Howard Leese (Heart, Bad Company); the Americana-laced Star Anna and The Laughing Dogs; violinist Geoffrey Castle with 11 year old guitarist Caspian Coberly;  powerhouse vocalist and Synergia Northwest alumni Somar Macek and a first time dance and music performance by Dora Oliveira's Samba Reggae Revolution comprised of young Seattle area singers,dancers and musicians.

Martinez will debut two brand new songs from her upcoming Universal Republic release Vicci with The Synergia Northwest Orchestra. Another special musical addition this year will be performances of selections from Elton John's rock classic Madman Across The Water. The original orchestra scores have been donated to Synergia Northwest especially for this event on behalf of Sir Elton John.

 Bartell Drugs, the Puget Sound region's premiere family owned and locally operated pharmacy for over 120 years, has signed on as the Title Sponsor of the event. Supporting Sponsor BECU is offering special promotions and discounts for its employees and members. This year’s Media Sponsors are award-winning NBC affiliate King 5 TV and Seattle’s top radio station, Warm 106.9 FM. Another new supporter for this year's event is Carter Subaru in Shoreline and Ballard who will donate an additional $10 dollars into the Music Matters Youth Music Education Fund for the first 500 "Music Matters" license plates sold. Meeghan Black, host of KING 5's Evening Magazine, now in its 25th year of serving the Seattle area, will be the evening’s emcee.

Music Matters "LIVE!" marks the third benefit concert for Washington State Youth Music Education. The efforts of Synergia Northwest events over the past few years have helped Music Aid Northwest in bringing its "Music Matters" license plate fundraising proposal to fruition by raising capital needed to create a music-themed license plate that helps support school music programs through its sales. The plates are now available through the Washington State Department of Licensing.

 The idea of this unique concert event was conceived by Seattle musician and producer Michael McMorrow. Music Matters "LIVE!” blends classical, contemporary, professional and student musicians in one concert, unifying cultures, ages and musical genres. Music Matters "LIVE" producer McMorrow says, "This all really started for me because of one of my sons. Through him, I saw first-hand the powerful role music education plays in our kids' academic success. It lit a fire in me to help save our school music programs and one of the first steps was joining with Music Aid Northwest’s efforts to help create and bring attention to a permanent source of funding for our school music programs like the Music Matters license plate campaign. In producing the annual Music Matters "LIVE" concert, we are succeeding beyond my wildest dreams. And now with these great community leaders, in addition to our deeply talented music community, it is a boost to us all, and to the future of our school music programs."

The Synergia Northwest Orchestra was formed for the debut Synergia Northwest concert and is comprised of some of the area's finest professional classical musicians and selected players from Washington State All-State groups and regional youth and public school orchestras. The first event was in 2010 at Tacoma's historic Temple Ballroom in the Landmark Convention Center, and in 2011, it made its Seattle debut at The Moore Theater.