Raleigh, N.C. , March 9, 2012 — Band Together NC, a Triangle-based organization whose mission is to raise funds and awareness for select nonprofits through events that showcase and support musical talent, has announced that iconic cosmic band The B-52s will top the bill for this year’s charity concert May 12 at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, benefitting Urban Ministries of Wake County.

Last year’s Band Together NC concert featuring Third Eye Blind, Dillon Fence, Lonnie Walker and I Was Totally Destroying It attracted more than 3,500 music lovers and raised $482,000 for Alliance Medical Ministry at a sold-out performance. Local favorite BIG Something, winner of Band Together’s Last Band Standing 2012, will open for the May 12 show. Additional acts and activities for 2012 will be announced as the event date approaches.

Music as a Voice

With more than three decades of musical success, The B-52s have sold more than 20 million albums. Best known for the singles “Rock Lobster,” “Planet Claire,” “Private Idaho,” “Roam” and “Love Shack,” the band has released nine albums. They most recently celebrated their 35th anniversary.

According to a statement from the B-52s, “Music moves people, and we know it has the power to bring people together for a meaningful cause. We are glad to be supporting Band Together and Urban Ministries, who are both doing good things in their local community, and we hope this event will inspire people to give back in a meaningful way.”

Benefitting Urban Ministries of Wake County

In 2010, Band Together NC’s Board of Directors announced the nonprofit recipient for 2012 would be Urban Ministries, a nonprofit human service organization dedicated to alleviating the effects of poverty in Wake County. Last year, Urban Ministries served 24,000 people, providing more than 8,000 families with one week’s worth of groceries and benefiting 7,000 patient visits through their Open Door Clinic.

“With more than 90,000 people living in poverty in Wake county, our goal this year is to raise $600,000 for this organization and to make a difference in the lives of people in our community,” said Matt Strickland, executive director of Band Together NC. “After raising nearly half a million dollars in 2011, we can’t wait to see what the 2012 event with The B-52s has in store. We are hopeful the community, in kind, will support our efforts so we can reach our goal of providing effective and efficient medical care to more of those in need.”

Through corporate and individual donations, Band Together NC has raised nearly $1.5 million for local nonprofits since 2001. Major contributors include Cargill, S&A Cherokee, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Bank of America, Duke Realty Corporation, Lincoln Theatre, Synergy Commercial Advisors, RPG Solutions, Brand Fuel, Trisure, CapTrust, Prometheus, Hosted Solutions and Manning, Fulton & Skinner, PA. Sponsorships begin at the $500 level and are still available.

Tickets for the event are only $29.50 in advance or $40 day of the show. VIP tickets are $150 and include exclusive access to catered food and beverage, VIP area close to the main stage, and a silent auction. Tickets will be on sale starting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 17 through etix.com.

For more information about Band Together NC, please visit www.bandtogethernc.org, become a fan on Facebook or follow @BandTogetherNC on Twitter. For more information about Urban Ministries, go to http://www.urbanmin.org. Additional information on The B-52s can be found at http://www.theb52s.com.