A Brief History of Tonic Ball

Tonic Ball begin as a grassroots fundraising event in 2002, when a small group of do-gooders decided they wanted to put on a show to raise money for a good cause. The show they had in mind had a unique format: for one night, they'd assemble an eclectic group of local musical acts and ask them to cover songs by a single artist. The Tonic Ball organizers chose to honor the songs of Gram Parsons and picked Second Helpings as the recipient of any money they raised.

Held November 22, 2002, at Radio Radio, the first Tonic Ball was a success by virtually any measure. Hundreds of people came out for the show. The musicians had great fun. What surprised nearly everyone was that, in spite of having to get 12 bands on and off the stage in only four hours, the show ran on time all night long. Best of all Tonic Ball raised about $4,600 to support the work of Second Helpings.

Since that time, Tonic Ball has become an annual tradition and one of the most highly anticipated events on the Indianapolis music calendar. Each year it's gotten bigger and raised more money for Second Helpings. In 2003, Tonic Ball II featured the songs of Elvis Costello. Tonic Ball III featured memorable covers of the songs of Neil Young, and 2005's show featured songs by the Rolling Stones.

By 2006, Tonic Ball had gotten so popular that the organizers faced a decision: find a bigger venue, or come up with another idea. Because they wanted to keep the show in Fountain Square, the committee decided to add a second stage and the Fountain Square Theatre, right next door to Radio Radio. It was a risky moved that paid off: Tonic Ball V, featuring the songs of the Talking Heads and Prince, was another big success that raised more than $25,000 for Second Helpings

Tonic Ball VI broke new ground, too: for the first time, musicians covered a female artist, as they paid tribute to the songs of the Clash and Madonna.

All in all, thousands of fans have experienced a series of superb shows featuring memorable performances by some of the area's top rock, pop, country, folk, jazz, and blues artists. Most important., Tonic Ball has raised over $100,000 to support Second Helpings. It's an amazing example of what can happen when people work together and play together for a great cause.