The old believers show some heart

So, what are your plans this Friday night?

If you said anything other than attending the AMP benefit concert at Portland’s Secret Society Ballroom, you should seriously reconsider.

AMP is the apropos acronym of Portland’s Artist Mentorship Program, an organization that pairs working musicians with at-risk and homeless youth. The program provides young adults with a chance to take advantage of high-quality equipment and music lessons, as well as performance opportunities.

In order to raise the funds pertinent to continuing its crucial work, AMP has planned a to-die-for benefit concert that will rock its attendees to their very core with its pristine lineup of some of Portland’s most entrancing, unique and talented acts.

For a $20 donation to the cause, guests will be wined, dined and exposed to the musical stylings of Dominic Castillo and the Rock Savants, The Old Believers, Derby and The Dimes.

This is the sort of lineup that any self-respecting pop rock fan should be ashamed to miss. If you’re still on the fence (after re-reading the last paragraph more carefully), consider the fact that it’s in the name of the very cause that will encourage the creative and musical expansion of the next generation of potential musicians.

Nelson Kempf of The Old Believers, one of the night’s most accomplished acts, recently explained his advocacy of the organization he’s slotted to support and admiration for its founder, Will Kendall.

“Will’s a great friend of mine and was actually our first fan in Portland,” says Kempf. “This is a great organization and we’re happy to be there. They really do good things.”

Kempf started The Old Believers with high school girlfriend Keeley Boyle in Kenay, Alaska. The name stemmed from the presence of a small sect of a Russian Orthodox group of the same name in their hometown.

“We wanted something that captured where we were from, something that was important to us,” explains Kempf.

The duo was primarily inspired by the religious group’s ornate imagery and architecture. Though their music is secular, they also identify with the group’s spiritual nature, the effects of which can be detected in their enchanting melodies and sentimental lyrics.

Rather than heading to college after graduation, Boyle and Kempf set off to Idaho to record their music, with the intent of ending up in Portland, due to its positive response to indie acts and accommodation of various types of music. Kempf described their first EP, Eight Golden Greats, as Americana sounds and classic country, though he makes clear it is in the band’s nature to evolve and change with their sound.

“We make records we want to make at the time,” Kempf adds, explaining his tendency to create music that is a direct reflection of the moment he’s in.

This trait is evident to his fans through the authentic, timeless air around The Old Believers’ songs. They are undeniably emotional, which Kempf admits is a goal of the project.

“I want to do something that feels honest or inspired,” he says. “Everybody has to express themselves, music is the way I feel like I’m actually expressing myself.”

The duo is highly effective in weaving together songs with mass appeal without feeling contrived. The two split responsibilities in the band, both writing, singing and playing a wide variety of instruments. The resulting music is very comfortable and easy for new listeners to jump into.

“Our influences are mostly artists who are objective, people who tell stories,” says Kempf. “Our music is very personal, it’s about what’s happening in our lives.”

Even after notable recognition from NPR Second Stage, the Willamette Week, Dagger Magazine and numerous others, The Old Believers were still thrilled to participate in the AMP event, providing the cause with a quintessential poster child of talented musicians with a humble purpose.

“The idea of any belief is something we definitely want to incorporate into the music,” Kempf elaborates. “It’s important to us to connect to something spiritually, something bigger than us.”

Kempf and Boyles’ enthusiasm is contagious, and their music alone is worth the cost of attendance for this weekend’s event. The inclusion of the other three bands puts the show’s appeal into intergalactic realms of appeal.

Skip a latte or two this week for the $20 donation money, and head across the bridge to bask in the greatness of four soul-pleasing bands. It’s time to start off the holiday season the right way: with drinks, benevolence and music worth believing in.

AMP Benefit ConcertThe Old Believers, Derby, The DimesNoc. 8, 8 p.m.The HushDonate/mentor with AMP at:www.artistmentorshipprogram.org