Small group of devoted friends turn out for concert to benefit burn victim

Despite a low turnout, friends who attended a benefit concert Thursday night for Bloomington electrician Robert Eury, who was severely burned in a Wal-Mart electrical accident this summer, said they considered the event a positive one.\n"If everybody here has fun, then it's a success," said Neal Barrentine, one of about 30 people who came to show his support for his friend Eury, still recovering from severe second- and third-degree burns in an Indianapolis hospital.\nThe concert, which opened with a performance by local musician Big John, hoped to raise money to help Eury defray some of the large medical and living costs stemming from the accident this August. \nTrevar Charles, 28, Eury's roommate, said the money raised at the concert would be handed over to Eury's parents. \n"It's been really hard on them," Charles said, explaining how Eury's parents, who visited Monday evening before returning to North Carolina, are having trouble seeing their son on a regular basis.\nThe heavy metal band Metal in the Microwave and folk rockers T.V. Mike and the Scarecrows also covered a mixture of Eury's favorite songs from Ween and Metallica and played their own original music. Half of the money made from sales of Metal in the Microwave's products were donated to the benefit concert as well.\nAs the evening progressed, the modest crowd of concert-goers stuffed more than the $5 entrance fee into a glass vase at the front door, happy to give more, they said.\n"We just want to make it so that he has a little bit of money," said Bob Johnson, 46. Johnson said he was encouraged by reports of Eury's progress. "There will be scarring," he said, "but it's not as bad as I thought."\nBarrentine said Eury was doing well, sitting up in his bed Tuesday for about 20 minutes and even standing in place for two more minutes later that day. \n"He's got great care up there. He's in the best place in the world," Barrentine said.\nOther friends of Eury's recalled their feelings when they first found out about the accident.\nAlex Kimmel said Eury had spoken to him two days before the accident about quitting his job because he was concerned about the over-long hours and that the position he was in was giving him too much responsibility.\n"The first emotion I felt was guilt," Kimmel said, adding, "I know it's not Wal-Mart's fault directly, but I still can't shop at Wal-Mart."\nJohnson, who said he was glad the people who cared about Eury had shown up, hopes to hold another event next year to assist Eury as he goes through physical and mental rehabilitation. \n"This is just kind of pocket change for Robert right now," he said.\nThose who wish to help defray Eury's medical costs can send contributions to: Muffler King, ATTN: Donations for Robert Eury, 916 Rowan Ave., Salisbury, NC 28146.