The "Sibilance" staff have a good feel for these things. As reported second-hand here last week, the Katrina benefit at Thompson’s Orchard in New Gloucester sure looked crowded. But we didn’t know how crowded. Reports are in that the show raised $4200 for the Red Cross. Bravo. Don’t forget last week’s benefit-show highlights — Cookie Cutter Girl’s gigs in Gardiner October 2 and Augusta October 9; Nickel Creek at the Merrill October 2; and Adam Flaherty, Laurel Brauns, and Subject Bias at UNH September 30 — and make sure to check out these further benefit offerings:

October 2 is going to be jam-packed with benefit shows. Add to the Merrill and Gardiner’s Johnson Hall the State Theatre, where long-time Portland music man Jimmy Peterson has organized "Beacon of Hope," a big to-do that’s going to feature close to 20 bands — including attractive opposites like Vanessa Torres and Okbari — and run from 1 to 10 pm. You’ll recognize a lot of the names from bands who frequented Jim’s, the pizza joint/music hall that’s now called Blue. The suggested donation is going to be $5 or so, which means you could probably come and go a few times, chipping in a total of $15 if you were feeling really big-hearted. But, if you’re reading this, you’re probably in a band, and if you’re in a band, you’re probably playing a benefit gig tonight, so just do whatever makes the most sense.

On October 7, the Center for Cultural Exchange in Portland will be hosting a benefit show for Project HEAL (Helping Employ Artists Locally), an organization recently created by the Acadian Arts Council "to assist artists impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Project HEAL offers displaced artists employment opportunities in local communities. Artists working in a wide range of disciplines including dance, design arts, folk life, literature, media, music, theatre and visual arts are now being recruited for programs designed in partnership with local arts organizations and venues. Seamlessly integrating artists impacted by Hurricane Katrina into existing Acadiana Arts Council programs will quickly and directly assist those artists in immediate need of financial assistance." Or so goes the press release, and who are we to rephrase? Playing at the Center will be jazz trumpeter and more Marc Chillemi, rockabilly swingers the Sean Mencher Combo, Frenchies Boreal Tordu, Reinhardt channelers the Hot Club of Portland, and Douce, the new Cajun band put together by fiddler Michael Doucet (who makes his own fiddles with wife Rebecca). Suggested donation is $10 — drinks and snacks start at 6 pm, along with a silent auction, live music starts around 8 pm.

Finally, Phantom Egg, the publisher of The Copper Age digital comic book, has announced that soon-to-be collaborations with X-Act Records and Adonis Records will both be fundraisers for Hurricane Katrina victims. If you see these digital comics for sale at Strange Maine or Bull Moose in the near future, know that your dollar will be going to a good cause . . . well, it would have gone to a good cause anyway, a struggling artist’s pocket, so let’s just say it’ll go to another worthy cause.