That Night Out party southwest of The Junction last night included a show of support for neighbors who have just been through a tough time: The victims of the house fire one week ago today near 45th/Erskine (map).

(July 29 photo by Tony Bradley)
The day the fire happened, the main headlines included firefighters following special procedures because of the historic 103-degree heat, one resident going to the hospital with burns, and investigators saying the fire was started by embers from a barbecue igniting a deck and spreading to the house. We’ve since learned there’s another story: A well-known local band, Bend, recorded at the house, and members’ friends and co-workers are organizing benefits to help. One of the fire survivors told us at last night’s block party that the items lost in the fire included some of the studio equipment and computers; his housemate who suffered burns is out of the hospital and staying with relatives on the Eastside. Meantime, benefit organizers haven’t locked down the details yet, but several tell us they’re talking about an event in the next few weeks at Feedback Lounge and possibly one at Skylark (both WSB sponsors), so organizers asked us to share the word that they’ll announce it as soon as details are settled. They’re reaching out to help in other ways too, such as a collection at Shadow Land, workplace for one band member, and donations were being collected at last night’s Night Out party — the only one to our knowledge with this distinctive type of “street closed” alert signal!