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September 25, 2008

Getting their goat: Andover couple help organize 'Goatstock' benefit

By Bethany Bray

It's like Woodstock — only with goats.

Paul and Debbie Angelosanto, a married couple from Andover, will perform at the fourth annual "Goatstock," a concert benefit for Heifer International, on Sept. 27.

Heifer International provides livestock to the world's hungry and poor as a renewable food source. Last year, Paul Angelosanto said Goatstock raised nearly $300 for the nonprofit, enough for two goats and two or three flocks of birds.

Goatstock, at the Nave Gallery in Somerville, brings together several forms of art, including belly dancing and plenty of live music. It will be a fun, family-friendly concert, said Paul.

"We try and mix different mediums to keep people excited. It's not just an audio experience, but visual too," he said. "Every year, we try to make it different. It's a multimedia event, with projections that people can watch while the bands play."

The Angelosantos' band, Astro Al, is a psychedelic rock group inspired by music from horror movies from the 1950s and '60s, said Paul.

"We play very strange, often very silly, sometimes spooky music," he said. "It's more fun than anything else."

Debbie, a graphic designer, and Paul, who does technical training, have been playing together as Astro Al for about five years, he said, and have helped organize Goatstock since it started four years ago. Each year, they pull together friends, artists and musicians who hope to end world hunger, as Paul and Debbie do.

Heifer International provides a "living loan" of livestock to families in poor regions around the world, providing a sustainable source of food and income that the recipients are expected to share with their neighbors. Heifer also teaches people the best ways to manage their livestock and land.

Heifer provides many different types of animals — from honeybees and angora rabbits to goats and water buffalo. The nonprofit organization, based in Little Rock, Ark., was founded in 1944.

Heifer's living loans go to Third World countries, and to people in the United States, such as farmers in Maine, residents on Native American reservations and to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Keeping with Heifer's animal theme, Goatstock was named in honor of Tim Mungenast, a musician and friend of the Angelosantos who is fascinated with goats, Paul said.

"He writes very witty, very bizarre songs about goats," said Paul with a chuckle. "He has one, called 'Space Goat' about goat adventures in outer space. He's a really nice guy, and great guitar player, too."

A belly dancer named Samarra will dance between sets, said Paul, and an artist named Dr. T will project images as the bands play.

"This guy is really good with projections, he's done them for some famous bands. He makes them up on the spot. It's wild, hard to describe," said Paul. "He starts with one image, and then overlays other images, based off the music as the band plays."

Goatstock's $5 cover charge goes directly to Heifer International. The Nave Gallery isn't charging them to host the concert, said Paul, and none of the artists will make any money — all proceeds will go to Heifer. A CD with music by the Goatstock bands also will be on sale and benefit Heifer International.

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Getting their goat: Andover couple help organize 'Goatstock' benefit
by By Bethany Bray , , Thu Sep 25, 2008, 01:37 PM EDT
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