Annual RISE Benefit Concert raises music scholarship funds

The annual Jared Music Foundation's RISE (Remember in September) Benefit Concert at Whistle Stop Park on Sept. 5 opened under an amazingly clear summer sky that faded into a beautiful pink-orange sunset, highlighting the mountains as the night darkened.

Zivanai Masango and Helen Masango opened the concert with several songs from Zimbabwe and Southern Africa, including a sing-along they taught to the crowd which roughly translated to "When we're together, everything is okay."

Funkiphino, the evening's headliner, played a wide variety of fan favorites, often in new mash-ups or versions, including "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire, "Rosanna" by Toto, "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson, "Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" by Whitney Houston, and "Dancing Queen" by ABBA.

The Jared Music Foundation was founded by Renae and Surinder Dahiya in honor of Jared Lizakowski, their son and stepson, who passed away in 2016 at age 19 in a traffic accident. Lizakowski lived in Niwot and attended Niwot Elementary School, Sunset Middle School and Niwot High School. He was passionate about music and drumming in particular. The Jared Music Foundation provides music scholarships and instruments for students in need.

Lizakowski's memorial song, "Saturday in the Park," was played at the end of the concert to an ocean of candles waved by the crowd.

Some of Lizakowski's band members spoke during the intermission. Christian Walsh said about Lizakowski's love of music, "That music needed to continue. Sharing music needed to continue. We're making sure that music lives on."

Funkiphino's performance involved the audience, as band members walked into the crowd while playing their instruments and threw sparkle-filled beach balls into the crowd, which bounced and glittered against the night sky. The crowd also played along on band-provided maracas.

Niwot High School's Volleyball bike valet looked after concertgoers' bicycles, and food trucks kept everyone happy.

Surinder Dahiya reported that the RISE Benefit Concert raised approximately $12,000 for children's music scholarships and instruments.