Band originally from Farmington playing to benefit Cape youth group

A Christian rock band from Southeast Missouri will play a familiar venue tonight to help the youth group of Cape Community Church raise funds for travel to state and international conventions.

In the past few years, Parallax View, a group originally from Farmington, Mo., has expanded its music beyond the region and continued to work on a new album. According to its website, the band's name reflects its mission, which is to focus on seeing the world from a different view, a Christian view, and to make relationships a priority.

The youth group will join Parallax View's mission at tonight's concert. The band will set up on the back lawn of the church, where they will perform on a trailer donated from G&M Trailer. There is no cost to attend, and youth group members will sell concessions to raise money. Music begins at 6 p.m.

Terry Major, the church's outreach coordinator, said the event has three goals besides fundraising: to bring youths together, to bring out the community and to give youths a good, clean event to attend.

Although the youth group has held fundraisers in the past, Cape Community Church's pastor, Jeremy Clayton, said he hopes this event, called the Southeast District Youth Back to School Concert, will become annual.

Clayton said his church has invited similar denominations from the area, including churches in Kennett, Dexter, Doniphan and Poplar Bluff, Mo., and that the event is open to the community.

"It's slow to build, but it has gotten better every year and we are expecting a good turnout," Major said.

Terri Nolan, a youth group coordinator for the church, said the band's concerts usually bring locals, visitors and fans.

Parallax View has also played at the church's district camp meeting in Sikeston, Mo., and has a fan base within Cape Community Church's youth group, having performed at the church several times before, as well as during district youth meetings in Sikeston.

The money raised selling concessions will fund the youth members to go to a state youth convention in the fall, a youth camp and an international youth convention next summer in Orlando, Fla.

Clayton said the international convention is a big expense for the youth group and a chance to attend comes only every other year.

Music from Parallax View can be heard on the band's website, www.parallaxviewband.com or its MySpace page, www.myspace.com/parallaxviewband.

Pertinent address:

2222 Bloomfield Road

Cape Girardeau