Singing for Rex:
Cubensis Brings Back a Beloved Thanksgiving Tradition
Over the years, Southern California’s Cubensis has been a strong supporter of Rex — and a big part of that is their beloved annual Thanksgiving Potluck Feast and Karaoke, offering all those so moved a chance to take the stage and sing a Grateful Dead song with the band in return for a donation to Rex. In 2023, it all returned, to the joy of all. Dan Vesely reports:
After a four year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the death of founder and bandleader Craig Marshall, this year’s annual Cubensis Karaoke Rex Foundation charity benefit was back with a BANG!
With over 100 fans in attendance, the event got off to a nice start with our family Thanksgiving Buffet out on the patio. A little socializing and noshing is always good before it’s time to rock!
After the meal, everyone worked their way back inside and Cubensis kicked off the show with an opener to get everyone in the mood. Immediately after that we started the “karaoke.” Each person who performed donated $25 to the Rex Foundation to take a spot in the band and sing a song or play an instrument. We had over 30 performances! They can all been seen on YouTube here. As always, there were some really amazing performances. Please check them out.
Funds were also raised by ticket sales, a silent auction, and a “merch” raffle. All told, we raised over $3,000 for Rex in one evening!
Many people volunteered to make this happen smoothly, and I want to thank them all. We had a blast and look forward to doing it again next year.
Our deepest appreciation to everyone who took part — we’re grateful for you!
