This is admittedly a little late in the game, but if you’re free Thursday night and willing to brave the rain for a trip to San Francisco, a number of Bay Area video game industry types are joining forces with Harmonix Music Systems to put on the second annual Ümloud! fundraiser.

The event, an evening of gamers playing “Rock Band 3” on an actual nightclub stage, is a benefit for the Child’s Play charity, which donates games, toys, books and money to sick kids in children’s hospitals around the country. It’s set to kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday at the DNA Lounge, 375 Eleventh St., in San Francisco. (It’s near Slim’s, if you know the neighborhood.)

The “bands” you’ll be seeing have already purchased the right to play the song of their choosing on stage. Here’s a look at Broasis, whose donation of more than $700 helped them secure top billing.

Don’t sweat missing a chance to buy your way on stage. There’s going to be one more Ultimate Band package on sale in a silent auction being conducted at the event. Or you can just hang back and take it all in as a spectator, which is what my wife and I did when we attended last year.

You’ll also be able to try out “Rock Band 3” in a free play area, and Harmonix is going to let gamers at Ümloud! try out the new Billy Joel songs for the game before they’re released to the public.

Admission is a $10 donation. You can also pay to enter a raffle ($5 for a single ticket, $20 for five tickets, $100 for 30), where you can win all sorts of awesome, gaming-related prizes. Last year, my wife won (twice) and we nabbed an extra copy of “Left 4 Dead 2” that we gave to a friend, as well as a “Grand Theft Auto IV” Statue of Happiness that sits on my desk at The Press Democrat.

Also worth checking out is a silent auction, where you can bid on super-awesome gaming-related stuff, such as a reviewers-only “Halo: Reach” press kit that comes in its own briefcase, or a limited edition copy of “BioShock 2” for the Xbox 360 that comes with a print signed by artist Jhonen Vasquez.

For more information, visit the official Ümloud! website.

Update: Corrected and clarified admission/raffle rules.