Collective Soul at Tabernacle for Darfur benefit

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Collective Soul at Tabernacle for Darfur benefit

Collective Soul performed at the Tabernacle in Atlanta at the Collective Soul Benefit Concert for Darfur, an annual benefit started by students from the Galloway School of Atlanta. The benefit helps raise money for the global Save Darfur Coalition.

Frontman Ed Roland performs at the Collective Soul Benefit Concert for Darfur at the Tabernacle on Friday, March 27, 2009. The music event raised funds and strengthened awareness for the Save Darfur Coalition, a global organization helping victims of war and famine in the Darfur region of Sudan in Africa.

Members of Collective Soul present organizers Katherine McKerrow (third from right) and Megan Maziar with a check for $50,000 from the show's proceeds. The annual benefit concert was created in 2007 by a group of students at The Galloway School in Atlanta, under the leadership of teacher Lexi Hunter.

Collective Soul plays the hit "Heavy." The Atlanta-based band was the first major headliner for the 3-year-old benefit. The band has had seven No. 1 hits.

Ed Roland said he was persuaded to perform at the benefit by Katherine McKerrow and Megan Maziar. "When I sat down with these two young ladies from Galloway,

Volunteers for the Save Darfur benefit at the Tabernacle concert. Started by the Galloway School of Atlanta, the benefit committee now is composed of 20 students from 16 metro Atlanta-area high schools.

Ed Roland gets vocal support from Ben Deignan on "Shine."

Members of Collective Soul at a meet-and-greet prior to showtime. "You know, since last year s election it s been remarkable to watch young kids make a difference," said Ed Roland. The benefit helps support the Save Darfur Coalition, a global organization that claims to represent 130 million people worldwide.

Collective Soul bassist Will Turpin performs. Frontman Ed Roland got his start working at Real 2 Reel Studios in Stockbridge owned by Will Turpin's father. Roland did production and engineering work for local Atlanta artists.

Collective Soul is working on its eighth album, expected to be released in August. The band performed one of the songs from the album, "You", written by the entire band, at the Tabernacle benefit.

Collective Soul's frontman, Ed Roland, is a native of Stockbridge, Ga. Prior to forming Collective Soul, he studied songwriting/composing and guitar at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Collective Soul lead guitarist Joel Kosche. He was the band's longtime guitar-tech person before becoming lead guitarist after the departure of Ross Childress in 2004.

Ed Roland came up with the band name after running across the term 'collective soul' while reading Ayn Rand's 'The Fountainhead.' Roland once told an interviewer that 'we just dug the name' and that it has nothing to do with Ayn Rand's philosophy. The name, he said, could have just as easily come out of a motorcycle magazine.

Collective Soul members pose backstage with organizers Katherine McKerrow (fourth from right), Q100's Jeff Dauler, and Megan Maziar (second from right).

The Atlanta band Ben Deignan and Suburban Soul warmed the crowd up.

Another Atlanta band, The Less, opened the concert.

The Collective Soul set list.

Fans of all ages packed The Tabernacle.

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Frontman Ed Roland performs at the Collective Soul Benefit Concert for Darfur at the Tabernacle on Friday, March 27, 2009. The music event raised funds and strengthened awareness for the Save Darfur Coalition, a global organization helping victims of war and famine in the Darfur region of Sudan in Africa.

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