Dan's Papers - July 4, 2008 - Fireworks! Live Music! Food! Drink! Rock the Harbor!!

And now, there are "The Un-benefits," called "Rock the Hamptons" and they are very, very good.

Benefits in the Hamptons are a chance to dress up, see and be seen, and maybe rub elbows (or at least exchange glances) with a few celebs. But let's be honest, at some benefits you find yourself in the corner by the bar, looking at a group of strangers, thinking "I wish this were benefiting me." Not all benefits are created equal. While every cause is surely worthwhile, some benefits are just a lot more fun than others.

Rock the Harbor, July 12, and its sister act, Rock the Farm, on August 16, are two "un-benefits" where you don't have to dress up, will most likely run into real friends, and will be on your feet dancing to a great live band rather than lurking on the sidelines. Oh, and at the former, you'll have a harbor side seat to watch Grucci fireworks explode over the bay.

The Rock events are the brainchildren of two guys who really know how to make their own fun, and take along hundreds of people for the ride. Rob Kaimowitz and Nick Kraus, both partners at The Stephen Talkhouse, have taken their Giving Tree Band events for the Wounded Warriors project out of the club and into the great wide open.

According to Kraus, "The two events are the perfect combination for us. We like to have fun."

Kraus, an East End native, wanted Rock the Harbor to continue the almost 30-year tradition of the summer fundraiser at Boy's Harbor. "It's the same audience, same property, but a new generation," he said. "We're going for the fun, a traditional American festival. It's definitely kid-friendly, too."

Kaimowitz, finance consultant by day and Giving Tree band drummer by night, said he and Kraus were of one let's-party mind in creating a different kind of event. "I can't stand those red carpet events," he said. "We wanted to do something that's not pretentious, that's an extension of the feeling and the people who go to the Talkhouse."

"Not to sound cliché," added Krause, "But we're keeping it real.

Rock the Harbor really is Boy's Harbor revisited: fun, food and fireworks - and cool, danceable rock by the Giving Tree band - on the Duke Estate. Rock the Farm, at a horse farm in East Hampton, is more of an adult event for those who love great music and missed Woodstock. "You can dress up a little if you want, but it's still low key" said Kraus, who's offering up the family version of Yasger farm in East Hampton for this August event.

The other aspect of the Rock events that's different from many East End benefits is the price.

"If you go out to dinner in the Hamptons, two hours and $150 dollars later, it's over," said Kaimowitz. "Rock the Harbor is a five-hour event, from 6-11 pm. For $75 (if you buy tickets online to both events) you get great food catered by the Seafood Shop, open bar all night, live music with special guests, dancing and Grucci fireworks. It's the best thing you can do this summer - twice."

The first Rock event happened last year at the farm. The Giving Tree Band, which donates its proceeds to charities chosen by band members, had finished its fundraiser at the Talkhouse in July. "We had a month off, so I said to Nick, let's figure out something to do," said Kaimowitz. "Nick said, let's do something at my farm and make it a charity."

For this round, the team had a year to plan it all out. Last summer they pulled it together in much less time. "We prefer three weeks to get it done," said Kraus, "We put together the whole thing, catering, liquor, sponsors, advertising. It was fun, successful, and generated money for the charities.

For Kraus and Kaimowitz, they're just doing their thing on a larger level - Kraus producing music events and Kaimowitz doing fund raisers with Giving Tree, which has played sold out shows in the Hamptons and New York. Although members of the group have been jamming together and performing in other bands for years, the Giving Tree itself has been doing shows at the Talkhouse and city venues from the Bitter End to Cipriani for two years. "We did a Wounded Warrior event - a black tie dinner - at Cipriani and raised a lot of money," said Kaimowitz. "And we didn't have to pay a band."

"Yeah, Rob played in his own band, and bought two tables," quipped Kraus. "If you're a gambler, the term is 'the swing.' It was very much in his favor."

And as the song goes - it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. These events will have plenty of it, from the sponsors to the crowd to the band itself.

The name Giving Tree, by the way, is based on the very un-childlike children's book of the same name by Shel Silverstein. A tree gives everything - food, shelter and recreation - through its leaves, branches, and very trunk to a little boy as he grows to old age. The boy is always unfulfilled because he is always wanting. The tree is always happy because she is always giving. The message, of course, is that happiness comes, in part, from making others happy.

It's a great name for this band, which is known for its high energy shows that get people off their feet, dancing, having a great time. When you go to Rock the Hamptons events, get ready to get happy.

Rock the Harbor is scheduled for Saturday, July 12, on the Duke Estate in East Hampton. Rock the Farm happens August 16 at John's Lane farm, East Hampton. For more information and ticket purchases: www.rockthehamptons.org.