Friendship Band, Mind Left Body Team Up for Second Annual Friendsgiving Fundraiser at the Iron Horse Nov. 3

The Friendship Band will perform at the Iron Horse in Northampton for its second annual Friendsgiving fundraiser, a concert to benefit the performing arts in ServiceNet’s Whole Children™ and Milestones programs, this year alongside beloved local Grateful Dead tribute band Mind Left Body.

“I’m excited,” said Sydney Meininger, 27, a Milestones Day program participant who plays drums and guitar in the Friendship Band. “The Iron Horse is a really cool place to perform. We did it last year and it was a big hit. I’m looking forward to performing with Mind Left Body and doing some Grateful Dead songs, especially ‘Fire On The Mountain’!”

The Friendship Band is part of Whole Children™ and Milestones, ServiceNet programs that provide recreational, social, skill-building, and enrichment classes for children, teens, and adults of all abilities. The band includes musicians of all ages and abilities and has developed a devoted local following with a blend of original music and covers. Standout performances have included appearances at the annual Transformance show at Look Park and a memorable collaboration with indie rock legends Yo La Tengo.

“I always wanted to play in a band when I was younger, but it wasn’t something we really had,” Meininger said. “The Friendship Band is a band anyone can join.”

According to Whole Children™ and Milestones Director of Operations Chris Harper, who plays drums in the band, “Friendsgiving is a chance to celebrate the friendships and sense of community that have grown around the Friendship Band. Music has a wonderful way of bringing people together, and this event is really about sharing that joy with everyone. Friendship Band has an infectious energy, and it’s always exciting watching a new audience experience that.”

The collaboration, Harper said, feels especially resonant this year.

“Mind Left Body brings that same spirit of community and connection to their music,” she said. “I’ve been such a fan of theirs over the years and am so excited to share the stage with them!”

“They don’t just play the Grateful Dead’s music,” added Recreation Specialist Eddy Hougen, who plays bass in the Friendship Band and helps lead the group. “They study it.”

Hougen sees both groups as part of a tradition of improvisation, with musicians responding to one another in the moment. He describes the Friendship Band as something of a jam band itself, with performances that leave room for spontaneous musical exploration.

“We’re very open and we’re listening to each other very closely,” he said.

Hougen said the band has spent years developing its repertoire, rehearsing original songs and learning new material. Some of its original compositions date back more than a decade, giving the musicians a deep familiarity with the music and with each other.

“The Friendship Band has come to a place, a pinnacle place, where they are good enough to hang with anybody,” Hougen said. “We’re all going to be dancing.”

He praised the Iron Horse for embracing a community-oriented approach under its new ownership, saying the venue’s commitment to local music makes it an especially meaningful home for Friendsgiving.

“It’s a celebration of inclusion,” Hougen said. “Come celebrate with us!”

Added Meininger: “Get your tickets. It’s a show you don’t want to miss.”

The Friendship Band and Mind Left Body will perform Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Iron Horse. To purchase tickets, visit Qrl.is/Friendsgiving2026.