For the Record 2026
A Battle of the Bands for Music Education | Thursday, September 24, 2026 | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
The Players | 16 Gramercy Park South, New York, NY
The Players Club | Manhattan, NY
Step inside one of Manhattan’s best-kept secrets. Founded in 1888 by legendary Shakespearean actor Edwin Booth and a cohort of Gilded Age luminaries—including Mark Twain and Walt Whitman—The Players is a historic, private social club overlooking the iron gates of Gramercy Park. For one night only, this storied sanctuary of theater, literature, and art opens its doors to the public for For the Record 2026.
Three bands. One night. One mission: Fund a year of music education for the students who need it most.
On September 24 at 5:00 PM at the legendary Players Club, Wall Street steps onto the stage for a Battle of Capital!
Your donations are the votes. By backing a band, you propel them toward winning the Ultimate Woodstock Experience - including a live performance on Bethel Woods' Horizon Stage, a professional recording studio session, and luxury glamping on the historic 1969 Woodstock festival grounds for a concert of their choosing.
Every dollar raised goes directly to The Academy at Bethel Woods, which provides year-round, long-term after school programming in popular music and visual art to under-resourced high school students in economically distressed rural communities.
Look forward to:
- An album release party from Johnson & Co. ft. Steve Ioannou
- 3-Sets of Live Music from 3 Wall Street Bands
- Cash Bar & Passed Hors d'oeuvres
- Iconic Music Memorabilia Raffle
- Industry Networking
Event Schedule:
5:00 PM | Doors
5:30 PM | Johnson & Co. Album release Party
6:15 PM | Welcoming Remarks
6:25 PM | The Battle of Capital Begins!
8:30 PM | Encore
9:00 PM | Event Ends
Battle of the Bands
BACK A BAND. SUPPORT A STUDENT.
Who will play the historic Woodstock grounds? You decide. Your donation is your vote.
100% of your tax-deductible donation goes directly to funding instruments, teaching artists, and transportation for the under-resourced students of The Academy at Bethel Woods.
Competing Bands
The Wall Street Jam
The Wall Street Jam is a part of Wall Street Rocks, a collaboration of professionals from the financial, technology, and entertainment sectors, united by one mission: to support the men and women who protect our freedoms.
They bring together the best of NYC’s finance and fintech communities through high-energy, entertainment-driven fundraising events. These events feature live performances talented musicians who work hard by day and rock the stage by night.
For them, it’s not just about spreadsheets and bottom lines—it’s about combining the energy of NYC’s financial heart with the spirit of rock 'n' roll to create an unforgettable experience that’s as powerful as it is fun. Through these events, they raise critical funds and awareness for veteran charities, ensuring that every performance makes a lasting impact.
The Help Helps
Formed in 2023, The Help Helps is a New York City-based cover band featuring Helena, Adam, Shawn, Dave, and Steve. They play a mix of classic and modern rock covers, bringing some live music energy to corporate stages and charity events. For them, it’s about connecting the business world with great cause.
Instead of hitting the usual bar circuit, they've focused on playing unique spaces—from client events at the Bronx Zoo to the company auditoriums, the Hard Rock & the Cutting Room in New York, Ned Devines in Boston & Epiphany Center for the Arts in Chicago. Over the last few years, these gigs have been a way to raise money for incredible organizations like the Ronald McDonald House and Hope and Heroes for Pediatric Cancer.
Achieves Most
Achieves Most is made up of a group of friends that love to play music, especially in support of different nonprofit organizations.
Their sound is a mix of classic rock influences and contemporary performance art.
The Grand Prize
Awarded to the Best Fundraisers
A live performance on the Horizon Stage at Bethel Woods
A recording session with a BWCA engineer at The Studios at Bethel Woods
Luxury Glamping directly on the historic 1969 Woodstock festival grounds.
VIP Concert Treatment, premium pavilion tickets and Member Lounge access.
Best in Show
Awarded to the Best Performers
A live performance on the Horizon Stage at Bethel Woods
VIP Concert Treatment, premium pavilion tickets and Member Lounge access.
About Johnson & Co
Johnson & Co. is an NYC-based music collective built on community, friendship, and a simple love for playing music together. What started as a set of new songs grew into a true team effort: a 15 person crew of close friends, local musicians, and family, including ten year old Zoì, joining in to pull it all together.
The album features Steven Ioannou (vocals and guitar), Hélèna Le Picart (vocals) Zoì Ioannou (vocals) , Butch Phelps (lead guitar and Producer), Skip Ward (bass), Adam LaRosa (drums), Mario Polytaridis (drums), Adam Patota (guitar) Shawn Rudden (bass), Semra Amiraslan (piano), Charlie Pellett (voiceover), Josh Perez, Rolando Gori, Simon Brown, and James Wordsworth.
About Their New Record
Their upcoming 6-song album was tracked and finished right in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan. They recorded, edited, and mixed the entire project locally at Threshold Studios on West 45th Street and sound studios on Dyer Avenue, working alongside talented local engineers and producers. It takes a village to make a record like this, and this project is the result of that group effort.
"Made in Hell's Kitchen with a little help from a lot of friends."
The Academy at Bethel Woods is a long-term creative youth development program that partners with local school districts to remove every barrier standing between under-resourced high school students and intensive, high-quality instruction in popular music and visual art. Built on the grounds of the 1969 Woodstock festival, The Academy combines rigorous technical skill development with social-emotional learning, mentorship, and career exploration in a four-year, scaffolded curriculum aligned with National Core Arts Standards. Students elect to participate in one of two pathways, which provide free bussing to Bethel Woods, and home, twice a week after school:
The Popular Music Pathway
Housed in The Studios at Bethel Woods, students progress through a four-year, scaffolded curriculum in guitar, bass, drums, keys, songwriting, and ensemble performance. From learning foundational instrument skills to developing a portfolio of original songs and producing beats on industry-standard digital audio workstations to performing across Bethel Woods stages, students build transferable skills and unlock one-of-a-kind experiences that prepare them for creative careers and a lifetime connection to the power of music.
Visual Art & Design Pathway
Housed in The Manes Conservatory, the Visual Art and Design Pathway operates as a multi-modal professional studio through which students master the commercial and creative technologies driving today's visual industries: digital illustration, animation, photography, filmmaking, and graphic design.