Benefit for a charitable heart in the local underground art scene
If you’re the type of person who’s a bit squeamish, you may want to put down your toast right now.
Watching someone have several extremely sharp hooks pierced through their back flesh then dangle in the air from ropes several feet off the ground may not be everyone’s idea of a fun way to spend a sunny summer afternoon at a benefit barbecue, but Colleen Smith, owner of Weenis Inc. piercing studio, has never been one to subscribe to the idea of doing things the normal way.
On Saturday at 3 p.m., Pyramid Skate Shop in Post Falls will be hosting an all-ages event that will incorporate not only several eye-popping human body suspensions, but also three rock bands, some excellent food, and lots of skateboarders performing their many knee-killing, arm-scraping tricks.
There’s going to be a lot happening to keep people entertained, but many of the attendees will walk away at the end of the day with somewhat bittersweet feelings. The show is planned to be the last in a long series of these kinds of local events conceptualized, planned and hosted by Smith and her “Team Weenis” before she abandons North Idaho for the potentially greener pastures of the Portland area in August.
On a brighter note, most of the funds raised will go to Smith to enable her to pay for medical procedures that will allow her to recover from certain debilitating medical issues she’s been struggling with in recent years. When Smith informed me she was planning her last benefit show in the area, I asked her who it was going to benefit and she replied “Me, actually.”
If anyone else had told me they were throwing a gala benefit for themselves, I probably would have given them some serious side-eye and laughed into my Pabst, but if anyone deserves to get away with it, it’s Smith. Over the years, so many people have been affected positively by her kindness, it’s about time she received some major payback.
She inherited her gigantic charitable heart from the late, great Dolly Smith, an inimitable woman who gave to the community in many ways, from ringing Salvation Army bells for spare change to heading up the Christmas for All children’s charity for several years before passing the torch on to her daughter.
Smith could have gone the usual silent auction or wine-tasting route to raise some cash to help underprivileged kids get a visit from Santa Claus, but instead chose to do something significantly more unusual.
Around 15 years ago, she began holding punk and metal shows, sometimes involving body modification sessions and various other underground arts, in any venue she could find willing to host them, from dank tattoo shop basements, to elementary school gymnasiums and even actual nightclubs. They were always packed with a ton of freaks, and I mean that in the best way possible, and all money raised went directly to Christmas for All.
It’s a slightly unorthodox way to raise money for charity, especially for sleepy North Idaho, and her efforts were initially met with some controversy, but her passion for creating a local live music scene where none existed and bringing folks together for a good cause won over even the most conservative thinkers and impacted the lives of many, through the charity itself, and also in the way she was able to forge a support network of like-minded individuals.
There are definitely going to be Colleen-shaped holes in the hearts of many without her presence in the area. Metal/alternative acts L.O.C., The Ghoul and Grounded will be providing the musical backdrop to give her a proper rock ’n’ roll send-off.
Smith and her crew will be performing at least two full body suspensions, and if you still have the stomach for it after witnessing such things, there will be a full range of barbecued burgers, steaks and chicken. You may even be able to perform your own piercing act with a long metal skewer through a nice, juicy hot dog.