Walk through the doors of the Highline Performing Arts Center (HPAC) on South 152nd Street in Burien, and you are stepping into a cultural landmark shaped by the vision of William A. “Bill” Moeller. For decades, the beloved Highline High School music and drama educator didn’t just teach students how to project their voices or hit their cues—he built an entire community institution. From directing the legendary All Pirates Revue in the original Highline auditorium to founding The Hi-Liners youth musical theatre program in 1966, Bill Moeller proved what happens when a community invests its heart and soul into its public schools.
On Saturday, November 7, 2026, that exact spirit takes on a louder, high-voltage form just down the road at the historic Des Moines Theatre.
Sixty years after his father launched The Hi-Liners, drummer Matt Moeller is taking the stage for Rock for Education: A Benefit for the Highline Schools Foundation. Moving the family tradition from the orchestra pit to the drum kit, Moeller and a stacked lineup of local musicians are coming together to raise the roof—and vital funding—for the next generation of Highline Public Schools students.
Two Bands, One Historic Stage
Billed as one of the very first live rock concerts inside the newly revitalized Des Moines Theatre (22325 Marine View Dr S), the night features a double bill built to keep the room moving from the moment doors open at 7:00 PM:
Positrons: Anchored by Matt Moeller on drums and Fred Staples on percussion, this seven-piece rock band brings high-energy, crowd-pleasing covers where everyone in the band—and everyone in the crowd—sings along. The lineup features Burien native and former King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg on bass, Roger Gee on guitar, Michael Hepburn on keyboards, and powerhouse vocalists Michelle Purnell-Hepburn and Linda Norman.
- Not Dead Yet: Sharing the marquee is West Seattle’s own Not Dead Yet. Directed by songwriter, guitarist, trumpeter, and harp player Rand Cufley—whose London Bridge Studio EP Midnight Pork was produced by Seattle studio veteran Jonathan Plum—the band delivers clever, hook-heavy, and relentlessly danceable original rock.
Keeping the Curtain Rising in Highline
Public schools are the true incubators of local music and art. Long before an artist ever steps under the lights of a historic theater, their spark is almost always lit by a dedicated teacher, a school band instrument, or an after-school stage crew.
Every dollar raised from ticket sales goes directly to the Highline Schools Foundation, supporting classroom innovation grants, arts and music enrichment, athletics, and essential student resources across Burien, Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac, and White Center.
When Matt Moeller counts off the first beat at the Des Moines Theatre, it will be more than just a Saturday night rock show—it will be a full-circle tribute to the Highline legacy his father helped build, ensuring the curtain keeps rising for Highline kids for decades to come.
Show Details & Tickets
- Event: Rock for Education – A Benefit for the Highline Schools Foundation
- Lineup: Positrons and Not Dead Yet
- Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
- Time: Doors Open at 7:00 PM (Music runs until 11:00 PM; food and drinks available for purchase at the venue)
- Venue: Des Moines Theatre, 22325 Marine View Dr S, Des Moines, WA 98198
- Tickets: Advance tickets are available ($25, with 100% of proceeds benefiting the Highline Schools Foundation). Grab yours by scanning the QR code on the event poster or visiting highlineschoolsfoundation.org.