August in Northampton has a tradition of at least three things: late summer corn, back-to-school preparations, and a certain themed concert at Look Park’s Pines Theater.

This year is no exception, and on Aug. 22, Performance 33 will bring area musicians to the Pines from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. to play the annual fundraising show for arts enrichment programs in city schools and the community.

Given the summer’s ample rain, the musical theme this year seems especially appropriate: “The Elements.”

Steve Sanderson, event producer for the Northampton Arts Council — the council produces the show in conjunction with the PTOs of Northampton public schools — says he and other organizers had been looking for some time to build a show around the theme of science and weather.

But they couldn’t find a succinct, catchy way of saying that, said Sanderson. “So we batted some ideas around and then, finally, we had it — the elements.”

Then, Sanderson added, “Soon as we had that name, we said ‘We have to write down the names of 10 groups that match that theme, right off the top of our heads, and if we can’t do that, we move on.’”

But those names did come, and a little research revealed others, and now they’re part of the show, such as Weather Report, the jazz fusion band from the 1970s/1980s; Creedence Clearwater Revival and Canned Heat, the 1960s rock bands; and Muddy Waters, the storied bluesman.

All told, nearly 20 bands/acts will be performing, with some groups from previous concerts, such as King Radio and The Unband, joining some first-timers.

“One of our goals every year is to find those new, up-and-coming bands and give them a place to showcase their stuff,” said Sanderson.

The Arts Council has benefited from word of mouth in that sense, he added, from musicians sharing information about the event with each other: “Hey, have you heard about this show at Look Park, called Performance? It’s a lot of fun.”

One new band this year is Animal Shapes, comprised of Joe Gutierrez, Will Meyer and Jon Shina, who will perform as Silver Jews, the indie rock band fronted by the late David Berman.

Given “The Elements” theme, or the broader idea of science and weather, the music that’s on tap for next week’s show will be pretty varied, with rock, folk, blues, disco-funk, jazz fusion and other sounds on the playlist.

Not everything made the cut. “I kept trying to work Neil Young into the show,” Sanderson said with a laugh. “I kept thinking of ‘Rust’ and ‘Rust Never Sleeps,’ but in the end it just didn’t fit.”

But other bands and artists did make sense, like Rare Earth, an American rock/R&B band that got its start in the 1960s, and Neil Diamond. The Unband will perform as Rare Earth, while King Radio takes on Neil Diamond.

Performance 33 will also feature the first appearance at the annual show of Tracy Grammer and Jim Henry, the veteran acoustic duo who have played multiple stages around the Valley (and much further afield) over the years, except at the annual fundraising concert. Both have played past Performance shows separately, as part of other groups.

This year the duo will perform as Iron & Wine, the stage name of American indie folk singer-songwriter Sam Beam, whose music has drawn comparisons to that of Nick Drake, John Fahey, and Simon & Garfunkel, among others.

Grammer and Henry “were some of the first people to contact us,” said Sanderson. “They really wanted to do Iron & Wine.”

Other past performers returning to the Pines include Soul Magnets as the disco-funk specialists Heatwave, who released the hit single “Boogie Nights” in 1977; Appalachian Still as Creedence Clearwater Revival; and gundy + Magic Carpet Band as Electric Light Orchestra.

Given some groups at the show are ad-hoc lineups assembled just for that day, musicians can pop up in multiple groups. Dave Hayes, otherwise known as The Weather Nut, plays a fine bass when he’s not making forecasts, and he’ll be part of gundy + Magic Carpet Band as well as his own 10-member “supergroup,” Dave Hayes and The Weather Nuts.

The latter will perform as “Schoolhouse Rock” — not a band but rather a series of animated musical films on TV in the 1970s and 1980s that helped children learn about science, math, and other subjects, and which Hayes watched himself.

Sanderson says he’s been relying on Hayes for years for his up-to-the-minute forecasts on the day of Performance shows, “so it’s great to have him up on stage, too.”

Speaking of the weather, Sanderson said there is a rain date — Aug. 23 — for Performance 33. But he’s hoping the weather gods will cooperate on the 22nd. There’s really no good logistical option for moving such a big show indoors, he added, and from an aesthetic standpoint, “You can’t get the magic of a show at the Pines anywhere else.”

As at past concerts, food and beverage from local vendors will be available on site, and parts of the proceeds will be given to Northampton schools. No pets, coolers, or beverages can be brought into the theater.

Tickets for the show range from $6 to $13 depending on an attendee’s age and the date of purchase. They’re available online or in advance at State Street Fruit Store in Northampton and Cooper’s Corner in Florence. Tickets are also available at the Pines Theater the day of the show. Visit northamptonartscouncil.org for more information.

Steve Pfarrer can be reached at spfarrer@gazettenet.com.

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