No, the Homework Club isn’t a new John Hughes flick, it’s an organization that’s providing some much needed help to Portsmouth students. The Club meets after school at the middle school, and provides students with a safe, swell learning atmosphere. Homework gets done, XboX’s get a breather. Over the past three and a half years Homework Club has grown , and now serves 40 percent of students at the Middle School population. As a result, more papers adorned with higher grades are surely being displayed proudly on refrigerators by proud parents. 

Alas, the Nellie Mae Education Foundation grant that got them started is running out at the end of the year.  They need your help! Happily for you and your Karma there’s an easy way to contribute to the cause. On Friday, Dec. 8 at Bourbon’s in Portsmouth, a slew of local bands are playing a show to benefit The Homework Club. The Gray Davies, The Frosting, Hotrod Fury, Death and Taxes and The Guts have all graciously agreed to donate the total amount of funds generated from the door. All you need to do is bring five bucks, hang out and rock. Oh, and maybe have some beer. It’ll be a good night for the soul.

If you’re watching the tube in the near future and think “Heeeyyy, that song sounds familiar!” it might be because The Digbee’s are rocking the TV world. Their song, “Can’t Get Over You” from the album “Love is A Train” will appear in an upcoming episode of “Veronica Mars” on the newly formed CW network (the result of the merging of UPN and WB). The local roots rockers have been “working the TV/Film angle for some time,”  and, emboldened by their latest success they will continue to muscle TV bigwigs to place their stuff.  “Love Is A Train” is also available for purchase on the band’s Web site, and on www.cdbaby.com. The Digbees will be appearing live on Friday, Dec. 1 at Big Heads in Rochester (Rockchester anyone?) along with The Molenes and Pondering Judd.