Longtime Freight fans will remember the great bluegrass/western swing/swing band Oakum, which blew the roof off the "old Freight" on a regular basis. Tonight's benefit concert raises funds to help defray medical costs for Paul McBride, Oakum's guitar player, who is currently recovering from a serious illness and will need long-term rehabilitative care. Featuring Laurie Lewis & Kathy Kallick, Tom Rozum & Home Run Jethro, Julay Brooks & Friends, and Conspiracy of Venus, this is an amazing night of music in a great cause!

While they've performed together in various groups since they co-founded the beloved band, Good Ol' Persons, in 1975, these days it's a rare event to see a duo performance by scintillating Bay Area singer-songwriters and bluegrass stars Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick.

Tom Rozum, whose deft mandolin work, mellow vocals, and wry humor have graced many a night on the Freight stage, appears with his hot band Home Run Jethro, featuring Tony Marcus on guitar, Paul Shelasky on fiddle, and Laurie Lewis on bass, playing a set of swingin' jazz, or jazzy swing, depending on their mood.

Julay Brooks (guitar, vocals), Charlie Wallace (pedal and lap steel, dobro, National, guitar), Tony Marcus (fiddle, guitar, vocals), and Matt Bohn (bass) join forces in this new ensemble, featuring a choice selection of obscure gems and rediscovered classics from the Western Swing and honky-tonk catalogue.

Conspiracy of Venus Choir is conducted by Joyce Todd McBride, whose unique and haunting arrangements bring new dimensions to familiar songs. The choir of 25 voices explores a repertoire ranging from cutting-edge to classical, including songs by Bjork, Joni Mitchell, Hildegard von Bingen, Tom Waits, Rufus Wainwright, and Leonard Cohen.