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Listen to a pair of 2013 Crash Safely mixes, showcasing the bands playing next month’s four-night benefit series

Photo by Jay Elliott

Crash Safely, the annual rock and roll fund-raiser for the National MS Society, returns in September for its third year, and this time it’s as ambitious as ever. After a successful two-night run at Davis Square Theatre last year, the concept created by writer/videographer Amanda Nichols and Figgs drummer Pete Hayes (both of whom were diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2008) has grown to four nights across three venues over two weekends. And there’s still just one cause: To raise awareness of and coin for those dealing with the disease.

On tap this year…

Night 1 – Friday, September 13 @ Oberon in Cambridge: The Upper Crust, John Powhida International Airport, Parlour Bells, and DJ/VJ Craig MacNeil of Videodrome Discotheque. $15, 18-plus

Night 2 – Saturday, September 14 @ Davis Square Theatre in Somerville: The Nickel & Dime Band, Township, the Duckbills (featuring Hayes), Mount Peru, and Tsunami of Sound. $12, 21-plus

Night 3 – Friday, September 20 @ The Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain: The Titanics, Corin Ashley, the Unholy III, the Phil Aiken Army, and Lenny Lashley’s Gang of One. $10, 21-plus

Night 4 – Saturday, September 21 @ The Midway in Jamaica Plain: Sidewalk Driver, Gene Dante & the Future Starlets, My Own Worst Enemy, The I Want You, and Cotton Candy. $10, 21-plus

Whew, that’s a lot of music.

“I was thinking of who would play almost a year before I put everything together,” Nichols tells Vanyaland. “I always want a great show, benefit or not.”

In addition, there will also be raffles and different prizes at each venue each night, for stuff like recording studio time and gift certificates. More on that here, and more to come on Vanyaland about how the whole series came together this year. In the meantime, let’s dig into the sounds of the participants.

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The 2013 Crash Safely soundcloud mix features 25 tracks in total, including bands and artists playing this year’s event, recordings of past Crash Safely fund-raisers, and unique recordings, like Videodrome somehow finding Vanity 6’s lost classic, “Vibrator.”

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The Bandcamp sampler below, meanwhile, features 17 tracks, including cuts from Parlour Bells, Corin Ashley, Sidewalk Driver, Gene Dante & the Future Starlets, Mount Peru, John Powhida International Airport, and others. Fire it up.

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