Sometimes we don't see a thing coming, and suddenly there it is. Like this: Two local people who really get what Stage 33 Live is doing, where it's at, and most particularly where it's headed, have issued a $1,000 matching-challenge fundraiser. They've pledged $1,000 for Stage 33 Live if we can raise $1,000.They didn't earmark it, but we are. The goal is the final major piece of the mission-critical puzzle: a proper video editing system that doesn't freeze, crash, lose work, or render all night just to crap out at 90%.It also happens to be the last, tightest bottleneck to the project becoming fiscally self-sustaining through merit in the marketplace as an attractive vehicle for underwriting and sponsorships by businesses and foundations. Yeah, that's right, the only income model Stage 33 Live has other than donations and fundraising won't be viable until the broadcast media is being widely distributed and aired. Which hasn't happened for lack of workable functionality. Which costs money.That's some catch you got there, Yossarian.For the moment we've decided not to set it up on one of the crowdfunding websites. There's a Donate button in the sidebar on every page of the stage33live.com website, and here explicitly: www.stage33live.com/support/#donationsWe kinda hope those of you who have been chipping in all along won't need to this time. We won't stop you, but we don't want you to start feeling like you're carrying a disproportionate load. You know who you are. We love you to pieces.What's in it for you? Usually it's just some extra shine on your halo, but we wanna find a way to beef that up. There's something brewing that's not for-sure yet, but we're hopeful: A close-to-halloween Saturday-night costume dance party with the nine-piece positive worldbeat dance-funk powerhouse Shakazoba. Not a listening event, but a joyous and uplifting dance party. Assuming this happens (hope we're not jinxing it by talking about it), any donor of $50 or more to this challenge will be on the guest list. Each multiple of $50 gets another ticket. We're going to try to get a beer & wine caterer in for this one. If for some reason that show falls apart, we'll try to come up with some similar and equally good inducement.A quick primer about us for newer folks:1. Stage 33 Live is entirely volunteer run with no paid staff or management. If financial wealth was the inevitable result of hard work, we'd be sipping daiquiris on a tropical beach.2. The point is to provide a long-legged, rippling-out platform for local and regional performers and presenters, with an open door to bigger biscuits too so their gravy can spill over onto our own tasty home fries... and to provide affordable, high-quality live entertainment in our community... and, with the broadcast stuff, to show a wide audience that we're pretty cool and smart and talented here in the Mid-Connecticut River Valley.3. Our on-the-ground gear is primarily a mishmash of cheap-or-scavenged vintage and bottom-feeder new, with a few exceptions where being half-assed would be a terrible idea with glaring consequences. Upgrades happen as funds or opportunities allow. This matching challenge presents itself as both of those things.About the movers who shook up this matching challenge to make it fizz: They both requested anonymity. As much as we like singing the praises of people who deserve it, we can keep a secret when asked. But dang, we're grateful to them. And to you.We're also proud to have successfully resisted the urge to bust out the opening track from the 1977 album Blank Generation by Richard Hell and the Voidoids. The title is the only part of it that really fits our situation, but it's a great rollicking song anyway.