Pitchfork

Portland schools have the best benefit ideas. Last week, we told you about the auction at Buckman Elementary School that includes swag from the Decemberists, Modest Mouse, and the Shins, to name just a few. Now, the student government of Portland's Lincoln High School ("Home of the Cardinals") has organized a benefit concert not just for their school but for music education across Portland Public High Schools.

Portland residents the Thermals will headline the concert, which will feature opening sets by student band the Bustling Townships and another, as-yet-unannounced group. UPDATE: it's Menomena! The concert will take place May 11 at the Cleveland High School Auditorium ("Home of the Warriors"), and tickets will go on sale next week at all of the district's high schools. The price of admission is $10 for PPS students with their school IDs and $15 for everyone else.

A representative of the Lincoln student government informed Pitchfork that music education programs in PPS schools are "feeble at best," so it's pretty cool of the Thermals to give back to their community like this. Those kids will be able to write their very own full-length albums full of existential dread and religious angst in no time!

The show at Cleveland High will now serve as the start of the Thermals' previously reported world tour, which continues through July.

In related news, All Girl Summer Fun Band-- which includes Thermals bassist/bad-ass Kathy Foster-- have been recording their third LP in Portland.

Dates:

05-11 Portland, OR - Cleveland High School Auditorium #
05-18-20 Somerset, England - Butlins Minehead (ATP vs. the Fans)
05-21 Keele, England - Keele University *
05-22 Kingston-Upon-Hull, England - The Adelphi Club
05-23 Newcastle, England - Newcastle University *
05-24 Glasgow, Scotland - Barrowlands *
05-25 Liverpool, England - Carling Academy *
05-27 Nottingham, England - Dot to Dot Festival
05-28 Manchester, England - Ritz *
05-29 London, England - Astoria *
05-30 Brighton, England - Oceam Rooms
05-31 Newport, England - Le Pub
06-05 Bristol, England - Carling Academy *
06-06 Portsmouth, England - Pyramids *
06-07 Wolverhampton, England - Wulfrun Hall *
06-08 Manchester, England - Islington Mill
06-09 Leeds, England - University of Leeds *
06-10 London, England - Water Rats
07-07-08 Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival
07-13 Gräfenhainchen, Germany - Melt! Festival
07-14 Herk-de-Stad, Belgium - Rock Herk Festival
07-15 Dour, Belgium - Dour Festival
07-17 Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Paradiso
07-19 Tromso, Norway - Buktafestivalen
07-20 Tonsberg, Norway - Slottfjellsfestivalen
07-27 Chicago, IL - Subterranean

# with the Bustling Townships, Menomena
* with the Cribs