By Chris Mayhew
The Cincinnati Enquirer

NEWPORT - A memorial concert benefit will take place tonight at Newport's Southgate House to raise money for a scholarship fund honoring aspiring poet and college student Eric D. Meyer, who died in an apartment fire in Clifton's gaslight district in late May.

Since then, Meyer's family and girlfriend have been raising money for the Eric D. Meyer Poetry Scholarship Foundation, established through Northern Kentucky University. Meyer's girlfriend, Elea Mihou, was rescued from a balcony during the May 29 fire.

"Eric was really committed to poetry, and he would have liked something like that while he was going to school," said Mihou.

Meyer, who was 25 and a student at NKU, was a published poet who had been asked by his professors to start a literary journal for the university. Raised in Erlanger, Meyer graduated from Villa Madonna Academy in 1995. He wrote music and played guitar in several local bands.

"It's just nice to think there's some kind of legacy of Eric's still ongoing," Mihou said. "To think that in some way he's still here."

The foundation is currently at $6,000 and needs at least $10,000 to be endowed.

Tonight's benefit starts at 9 and will feature local bands including: filmcaughtfire, Cameron Cocheron, Bromwell Diehl Band, Ronin, Junior Revolution, Hilltop Distillery and Hathaway.

During the event, an art sale and raffle will be held. The Southgate House is located at 24 E. Third St. in Newport, across from Newport on the Levee.

Another memorial concert benefit will be Aug. 30 at Covington's Madison Theater.

Contributions may be mailed to the NKU Foundation, care of the Herrmann Center, Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY 41099.