Dinner, auction to fight autism

A spaghetti dinner, raffle and silent auction, raising funds to fight autism, is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 31 at Cascade Covenant Church, 13225 436th Ave. S.E., North Bend. Cost is a $20 donation per person.

The Host for Hope benefit helps Today’s Hope, a non-profit organization that gives financial assistance to families affected by autism.

At the dinner event, Today’s Hope Executive Director Graydon Agar will share success stories and talk about how the organization helps families.

Items up for grabs during the benefit include two rounds of golf at the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, a widescreen computer monitor from Nautilusnet, a three-month membership at the Snoqualmie Ridge Athletic Club and plenty of other prizes.

For more information, e-mail to zoombuys@gmail.com or call (206) 225-7671.

Among bands participating in Snoqualmie Unplugged, the city’s first music walk, is Devereaux, who will bring their brand of indie folk rock to Koko Beans Coffee this Friday, July 25.

The Snoqualmie Unplugged event is being put on by the Snoqualmie Arts Commission, and takes place at venues including the coffee shop.

Inspired by the likes of James Taylor, Dave Matthews Band, Nickel Creek, Eva Cassidy and Sting, Bellevue siblings Jillian and Collin Devereaux use their soothing voices to give life to original lyrics with universal themes.

Singer and guitarist Collin, 21, who writes the music and co-creates lyrics with Jillian, 24, describes their sound as “almost a mix of John Mayer and Sarah McLachlan.”

Joshua White, a percussionist the pair met at church, will join them on the drums.

Concert-goers can expect to hear a few covers from artists like Coldplay and Carole King, but they’ll mostly be treated to original music from Devereaux’s part-live, part-studio-recorded album “Life as a Rhythm.”

“We write about our personal life experiences, and we try to stay very positive and encourage people through our music,” Jillian said. “The music industry can be a really ugly place, and we’re trying to be a light in the dark as much as we can.”

Devereaux has dedicated “Leave a Light On,” a song about unconditional love, to American armed forces in Iraq. The band’s MySpace page features a music video with still and video images of troops coming home.

Also in the mix is a quiet break-up anthem to which any jilted lover could relate.

“I’ve hit the road, I’ve moved along. Don’t try to find me; I am gone. I couldn’t take the way you act: You say you love me, then you don’t,” croons Collin in “No Sense At All.”

The single “Up to Me,” about their determination to maintain their artistic integrity as a producer pushed them to change their style, has recently made the rotation on Seattle radio station 103.7 The Mountain.

“We want to sing songs we’re passionate about, that mean something to us,” Jillian said.

In their six years together, Devereaux has played countless coffee houses, restaurants, private functions and festivals, and has opened for Trisha Yearwood, B.B. King, Sara Evans and Pearl Jam.

Jillian, who has been singing in church all her life, leads musical worship and works as an administrator at her congregation. Collin records other artists.

“We play as much as we can,” Jillian said. “And we have a lot of fun. I don’t think that our ultimate goal is to be rich and famous – that would be nice! But if we get to the point where music is all that we’re doing, we’re really happy.”

• For more information about Devereaux, or to hear some of their songs, visit www.myspace.com/devereauxmusic. Their CD, “Life as a Rhythm,” is available for sale at Koko Beans and online through iTunes and Rhapsody.com.