Councilmember Steven Levin. Credit: William Alatriste
I.S. 318, a middle school in Williamsburg, hosted a benefit concert at Brooklyn Bowl to save their after-school programs after the city planned to cut funding, the Greenpoint Star reported.
The concert, featuring students, local bands and even a few City Council members, was considered a success, but it was an agreement between the mayor and City Council that really helped the afterschool programs at I.S. 318 survive this round of cuts.
“The budget agreement that we reached with the mayor will ensure that no cuts will occur to IS 318 afterschool programs,” Councilman Stephen Levin, who performed at the benefit, told the audience. “We are hopeful that we can still gain back even more slots.”
Levin reportedly expressed excitement about the chance to save the programs and to show off his musical skills.
“The Bring Back the Music Fundraiser was not only an opportunity to fund afterschool programs that are critically important for the growth and development of our kids, but also a great excuse for me to join with students in a Led Zeppelin/ZZ Top cover band,” he joked.
Levin’s spokesperson, Matt Ojala, laughed when Metro asked about a rumor that Levin was once approached to be in the band MGMT.
Ojala said Levin was in a band called Stylofone and members of that band went on to play in MGMT.
“Steve plays bass,” Ojala explained. “I think MGMT was already set on bass guitar.”
Ojala said he’s “99.9 percent sure he was never asked to be in MGMT.”
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