Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay Presents: Big Night 2013

BOSTON, Jan. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Boston might be frosty outside but on Saturday, February 9, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay will bring the heat back to the Hub with Big Night 2013. Held at the legendary House of Blues, Big Night will feature live performances by two of the music industry's most electric stars – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. Guests can catch the live acts up close and personal and enjoy dinner prepared by some of Boston's top chefs, all while supporting an organization that is making a real difference in the lives of youth across Greater Boston.

In its 14^th year, Big Night has become one of Boston's hottest annual events. From a packed room of A-listers, to a one-of-a-kind menu filled with delectable dishes and drinks, to a stage rocked out by some of the most sought after musical talent, Big Night 2013 will be a party to remember.

Since its inception, Big Night has played an integral role in helping Big Brothers Big Sisters foster more than 1,800 one-on-one friendships between young people and adult mentors in Massachusetts Bay, raising more than $23 million in total. Big Night event founder Jim Pallotta of Raptor Capital Management was originally inspired to create this unique event to help Big Brothers Big Sisters take strides to ensure the healthy development of children throughout Massachusetts Bay.

"Since its founding 14 years ago, Big Night has been embraced by the Boston community as both a fantastic evening and a powerful fundraising tool for our organization," said Wendy Foster, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay. "Every year we are truly touched by the support shown by this community that helps us match at-risk youth with invested, caring adult mentors in a one-to-one relationship. With your help, we're strengthening communities and giving youth the opportunity to achieve their full potential."

With thousands of attendees over the course of its history, Big Night is Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay's biggest fundraiser of the year. As an organization that is 100 percent donor-supported, the $1.5 million goal for Big Night 2013 will be used to attract new volunteers to be matched with the more than 1,000 boys currently waiting for a Big Brother. For more information about volunteer opportunities, visit the organization's Get Involved page.

During Big Night 2013, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals will perform songs off their newest studio album, The Lion the Beast the Beat, which debuted at #17 on the Billboard 200, along with their hits "Paris (Ooh La La)" and "Apologies." The band has released four studio albums, with songs appearing on numerous popular American television shows, including All My Children and One Tree Hill.

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, an American funk/soul band known for their explosive live shows and prolific output of gritty studio recordings, will open the show with hits from their album 100 Days, 100 Nights.

The event will be emceed by popular WCVB-TV anchor Bianca de la Garza.

4th Annual James J. Pallotta Award
The James J. Pallotta Award is named for and presented in honor of the well-known Massachusetts philanthropist, business leader and founder of Big Night. The award recognizes an individual or individuals who have successfully engaged in supporting at risk children and whose efforts have significantly impacted their community.

The 2013 recipient of the James J. Pallotta Award is Michael Eisenson, Managing Director and CEO of Charlesbank Capital Partners and Founding Director of Horizons for Homeless Children. Known for his commitment to approaching social change and charitable endeavors with the same passion and vigor as his professional pursuits, Eisenson's tireless efforts, creativity and determination have engaged countless members of the community to invest in children's charities – the majority of these causes aimed at helping at risk children. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay is proud to recognize Michael Eisenson for his outstanding contributions.

Big Night 2013 Event Chair:

• Tim Dibble, Alta Equity Partners

Big Night 2013 Event Committee:

• Tracy Angeli
• Jamie Athanasoulas, Sankaty Advisors, LLC
• Joe Ayoub, Varuna Strategies, LLC
• John Berry, J.P. Morgan Private Bank
• Rick Grinnell, Fairhaven Capital Partners
• Phill Gross, Adage Capital Management, L.P.
• Jeff Leerink, Leerink Swann
• Marty Mannion, Summit Partners
• Paul Margolis, Longworth Venture Partners
• Bill Meara, Fuel/Meara Advertising, LLC
• Peter Monaco, Raptor Capital Management
• Kevin Nolan, Proskauer Rose LLP
• Frank Petz, Jones Lang LaSalle
• Kevin Routhier, Coretelligent
• Stephanie Sullivan, EverGreenLP

Big Night Event Founder:

• Jim Pallotta, Raptor Capital Management

For More Information or to Purchase Tickets:
Big Night 2013, 6:00 p.m., House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne Street, Boston. If you are interested in ticket information, please call or email Christa Soderstrom at (617) 956-0219 or [email protected], or visit http://www.bignightboston.com.

Follow the Big Night 2013 conversation on Twitter, with the hashtag #BigNight2013, for the latest news, updates and images.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay (BBBSMB) has 60 years of experience fostering professionally supported one-on-one friendships between young people and adult mentors. With research and proven outcomes at its core, the organization is working to ensure every child has the support from caring adults that they need for healthy development and success in life. With a service area encompassing 155 cities and towns throughout the Massachusetts Bay area and over 1,800 youth currently being served, BBBSMB is helping to strengthen communities by providing kids with an invested, caring adult mentor in their lives. BBBSMB's vision is to inspire, engage and transform Massachusetts Bay by helping youth achieve their full potential, contributing to healthier families, better schools, brighter futures and stronger communities. For more information about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay, please visit: http://www.bbbsmb.org or connect with us on Twitter http://twitter.com/bbbsmb or Facebook http://www.facebook.com/bbbsmassbay.

SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay