HEAVY METAL AGAINST BREAST CANCER EVENT

South Jersey metal heads THE HIXON invited their dearest and nearest to head bang for the cure at the RS Club

words by deVo

The lights were down at the RS Club and the low hum of the crowd was all that could be heard. Guitar feed back filled the room as lead vocalist Hixon, walked from the standing area where fans were anxiously waiting for the set to begin. Hixon spun around slowly, wearing a traditional clerical collar and an S&M type face mask, held the mic up and let out a blood curdling growl. Fierce metal riffs swarmed from the stage area and the crowd cheered viciously. The Heavy Metal Takes a Stand against Breast Cancer show was already well into the line-up at this point with two more bands to conclude the event but The Hixon performed as if they were the headliners and gave their all for a monumental cause.

On May 1, in Woodlyn, Pa., local bands Self Medicated, Dawn of Correction, Sapremia, and The Hixon, performed in the annual Heavy Metal Takes a Stand Against Breast Cancer event to raise money for breast cancer awareness, prevention and research. In 2000, South Jersey band The Hixon, Flip (bassist), Eduardo (guitarist), Well-Z (drummer) and Hixon (vocals), began organizing this event in response to a very personal situation.

“It all started because Hixon’s mom is a breast cancer survivor.” Well-Z says. “And honestly this is a disease that can affect anyone’s mother, sister, wife or girlfriend. Plus, what metalhead doesn’t appreciate breasts?!?!”

According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 13 percent of women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. That means there is a 1 in 8 chance of women today getting breast cancer. In 2006, slightly less than 10,000 women in Pennsylvania alone were victims of invasive breast cancer, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The PDH also reports that 2,294 deaths occurred that year due to breast cancer. So for The Hixon, organizing this event was a no brainer.

“It is a great cause that hits home for me.” Dawn of Correction’s lead vocalist Chris Natalini says. “I know somebody that caught her breast cancer just in time, so she is currently going through radiation treatment and should be free and clean. [And] it gives metal bands a good name”

It was because of this lurking bad reputation of metalheads that The Hixon had to move the traditional date for the event from Mother’s Day weekend to May 1st. Their original venue canceled on them and all other metal bands for good. The Hixon was forced to ask a large favor from their friends in Sapremia in order to keep the event going.

“Thanks to Lou of Sapremia for letting us turn the May 1st 2009 show into this years Heavy Metal Against Breast Cancer.”

The Hixon raised $13,000 and donated it to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

“They agreed to help promote the event with billboards [and] advertising when we first started.” Well-Z says. “We just continued to do it every year since then. They are the go to foundation when it comes to breast cancer research.”

At the end of their set, Hixon, with his long hair pulled back in a baseball cap, wearing a fresh shirt and a large white toothed grin, stood in the center of the performance space while Dawn of Correction scrambled behind him to set up their equipment. Next to him was a woman, holding a bucket filled with raffle tickets, purchased by the many people who attended the event to show support for the cause. Hixon reached his hand into the bucket and pulled out the first ticket, a gentleman won. Hixon congratulated and thanked the man and gave him a Sirius satellite radio (an effort for another cause Hixon is adamant about, “anti-philly-free radio”). Hixon put his hand into the raffle bucket again, smiling and joking with fans as he did so. The second winner of a large amount of money was a woman, who immediately gave it back to Hixon to donate to the Susan G Komen Foundation. Hixon accepted the money and showed his gratitude.