Teachers Play for a Purpose

 

By day, they are schoolteachers but by night, two from the Sag Harbor school district play in an alternative rock band.

A pair of teachers in the Sag Harbor School District will be performing in their band, Wiggleboy, at Fiddler’s Cove on Three Mile Harbor Road in East Hampton this Friday, February 13, to raise money for the Sag Harbor Food Pantry.

Dr. Robert Schumacher, a chemistry teacher at Pierson, decided to re-form his college band, after talking to acquaintance and owner of Fiddler’s Cove, Bob Demeri, who also offered his venue for the show.

Since re-forming Wiggleboy last August, the three-member band has always played for a good cause. Schumacher plays drums, with his brother Rich who plays guitar and co-worker, Sean Kelly on bass guitar. 

The band performed a few times last year together and over Thanksgiving, put on a show to benefit a young woman — an East Hampton High School graduate — who had cancer. 

The Teacher’s Association of Sag Harbor, TASH, had been planning a benefit for the food pantry because they learned that the food bank was low. When Schumacher heard, he offered to play at the event to maximize the money that could be raised for the pantry. 

“We recently did a food drive for the pantry at the school, but we wanted to be able to give them cash,” Schumacher said.

In 1992, when the band was formed, Schumacher was at the University of Hawaii. He played the drums and his brother, Rich, played guitar, while they took turns with vocals. The band has been defunct for 10 years, because each of the original members had their own agendas.

Schumacher recalled last year, when he learned that Pierson high school Social Studies teacher, Kelly was talented with a bass guitar and when Demeri, suggested that the band have a “reunion tour” and perform again.

It wasn’t long after when Schumacher and his brother Rich, practiced with Kelly and were able to perform their first show.

“We clicked so nicely,” Schumacher said.

Next weekend, the band will be playing purely for a 21 and over crowd at Fiddlers Cove for a $5 cover charge, which will go to the Sag Harbor Food Pantry. Schumacher said that a portion of the bar sales will also go to the Pantry as well as all of the bartender’s tips.

Joe Bartolotto, Pierson art teacher, has been known to play along with the band  and is expected to participate on four or five songs.

On Friday, other teachers and faculty will be asked to sing along with Wiggleboy during their show. And Schumacher's other brother, Frank, will also play a few songs with the band “that’s three Schumachers if your counting,” said Robert. 

Wiggleboy plays a mix of alternative music from bands like Coldplay, The Clash, Green Day, Nirvana,  Counting Crows among many others.

“We play cover songs from six different decades,” Kelly said on Tuesday.

There would also be a 50-50 raffle, which will benefit the food pantry.

The event will begin at 3:30 p.m. and go until 8 p.m. TASH has given $200 to go towards small appetizers and other tapas menu items for the event.

Fiddler’s Cove is located at 367 Three Mile Harbor Rd in East Hampton.