Having discarded notions of rain-dancing for the drought, Ted Maclin went the music-festival route.

Maclin, an anthropology graduate student, put an ad on Craig’s List to organize an open mic to raise money and awareness of water conservation issues in Athens-Clarke County and Northeast Georgia.

The ad generated favorable responses, and the original idea of an open mic turned into a full-blown concert, which will take place tonight on two stages – The 40 Watt Club and Flicker Theatre and Bar.

“It has gone way beyond what I thought it would be,” Maclin said of tonight’s benefit.

This special one-night event will feature The Corduroy Road, Hope for Agoldensummer, Smokestack & the Foothill Fury, Timber, Sursie, Nathan Sheppard, Box of Nails, Adam Reddick, Ricky Fitzpatrick, Don Auber, The Kellys and more local talents who will perform Dust Bowl Ballads and original songs.

Maclin said he got the idea of having an open mic night while listening to Woody Guthrie’s “Dust Bowl Ballads.”

“[Guthrie] sang about how people’s economic situations were tied to weather patterns and the troubles brought about by the Dust Bowl,” Maclin said.

“It’s a little bit of a stretch to say we’re in the same position now, but there are definitely hard times for some people economically that are direct results of the drought. Especially those who work in the landscaping industry,” he said.

Since one of the goals of tonight’s event is to raise money, a $5 donation at the door is suggested, but not required.

“We’ll take whatever people can donate,” Maclin said. “The money is going to the Georgia River Network, and from there it’s going to Community Connection, an organization that’s going to use it to install low-flow shower heads and toilets in low income households.”

Tonight’s benefit will feature more than just music. The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government will be giving away low-flow shower heads.

Other information regarding the drought and water conservation will be provided by representatives of the Georgia State Climatologists Office, the Georgia River Network and the Upper Oconee Watershed Network.

But what about conservation efforts at the University?

“That’s a good question,” Maclin said. “The thing about the University isn’t necessarily the amount of people wasting water, but also the fact that there are just a lot of people. And I think the University is (taking measures by) installing low-flow (toilets and showers) as it is building and remodeling.”

“Tonight’s event is to raise money for people who can’t afford to conserve water on their own,” he said.