While listening to music Friday night, area high school students will learn a valuable lesson about drinking and driving. The anti-drinking and driving organization Arrive Alive will present a concert at Centerstage at the Speakeasy, Lafayette Road on May 10.

Performing will be the groups T.T. Strip and Heavens to Murgatroid.

Arrive Alive is the brainchild of Ronald Bellanti, a band promoter and currently president of the association. All of its events focus on teaching people, especially teenagers, not to drink and drive.

Although this is the first time Arrive Alive has presented a show in Portsmouth, plans are under way for more shows.

Arrive Alive began in 1989 and currently focuses it's efforts in New England.

"We are not anti-alcohol," Mr. Bellanti said. "We don't think alcohol's bad. We're trying to show people we care about customers."

Instead of preaching, the band or guest speaker advises the audience, during it's performance, not to drink and drive.

"I think anyone who says: 'don't drink, it's illegal,' isn't going to get far with these kids," Mr. Bellanti said. "When I was in school, I was one of those problem kids; ripped jeans, black boots. Nothing was going to keep me after school." Arrive Alive presents productions at high schools and nightclubs. At high schools, it generally brings in a guest speaker to discuss drinking and driving while at clubs; it focuses more on increasing awareness of the problem."

"I don't think we can cure drinking and driving," Mr. Bellanti said, "but we can make sure kids are aware of the problem."

"The easiest audience to promote to is in the teen-age audience," Mr. Bellanti said. "Music is a good vehicle in which to promote the message to schools."

Mr. Bellanti, whose father is a Massachusetts state trooper, founded Arrive Alive after hearing about a fatal car accident occurred in Reading, Mass., the night of the prom.

"I decided there had to be a way to reach the schools," he said.

Arrive Alive will create a mailing list the night of the show. Interested members of the audience will receive mail brochures, newsletters, concert schedules, etc.

The headlining band T.T. Strip is from Southern Maine. The band consists of four men and has been together for three years.

"This isn't a crusade," said Ron Hallee, guitar player for the band. "It's not anti-good time. We feel Arrive Alive is a good cause."

Other band members are Joe Monroe, vocalist; Brian Keithley, drummer; and Patrick McGuire, bass. The band plays all original music.

Doors open at 8 p.m. for the show Friday night at the Speakeasy.