The Skinny Dip: A Two-Stage Mini-Fest Benefiting Melanoma Research and Awareness

The Miami music scene is diverse, tight-knit, and incredibly compassionate. Last year, bands from around South Florida answered Shawn Snyder's call to action and helped raise over $5,000 at the fist ever Skinny Dip, a concert benefiting Melanoma research and awareness at Kitchen 305. He's hoping to do it all over again this year with the help of over 20 acts and the UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Snyder is an accomplished local singer-songwriter who's been described as "Adam Duritz's forgotten sibling" by this publication for his "confessional style." In 2008, his mother, Linda Snyder, lost a three-year battle with Melanoma, but inspired her son to raise awareness.

"Nobody seems to want to talk about [melanoma], despite having the fastest-growing incidence rate of all cancers," he told Crossfade's Arielle Castillo last year. "It's stuck with a black ribbon, a starkness that speaks on multiple levels."

After last year's Skinny Dip, Snyder split the money between the national Melanoma Research Foundation and the West Palm Beach-based Richard David Kaan Melanoma Foundation. This year, however, he's hoping to keep the money raised at Skinny Dip closer to home.

"To increase the breadth and impact of funds raised, and to keep the money in our own backyard, we've entered this auspicious partnership with The Melanoma Program at UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center," he told Crossfade via email.

The Full Skinny Dip Lineup:

Hosted by Shawn Snyder

MC'd by Channel 10's Will Manso

Acoustic Stage MC'd by Chrystal Hartigan

The U-School Testostertones

Shawn Snyder

The Jacob Jeffries Band

Radioboxer

Griffin Anthony

Raging Geisha

John Hancock and The Deadly Arm

Fernando Perdomo

Big Poppa E

Shauna Sweeney

Michael Shivers

Radio Yaakov

Jill Hartmann

SJ Acoustic

George Zhen

Kairo

Bob Tiews

Omine

Steve Minotti

Chloe Dolandis

Skinny Dip 2010. Saturday, December 11. Kitchen 305, 16701 Collins Ave., Sunny Isles Beach. The event begins at 6 p.m. and admission is a $15 suggested donation at the door. All proceeds to benefit the Melanoma Program at University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Visit theskinnydip.org.