Last modified: Thursday, July 13, 2006 1:40 AM EDT Ayla's charity begins at Fenway BY LAUREN CARTER / SUN CHRONICLE STAFF BOSTON -- With hundreds of people crammed up against metal barricades while it poured outside, Wednesday night's `` Hot Stove, Cool Music'' concert sort of resembled last year's `` American Idol'' tryout at Gillette Stadium. So it was no surprise that `` Idol'' con testant Ayla Brown seemed at home Wednesday night at the second-annual charity concert to help non-profit agen cies in Greater Boston serving disadvan taged youth. However, Brown never got to perform. She was among the acts cut after rain prompted organizers to shorten the pro gram and move under the stands at Fen way Park, rather than hold it on the playing field. Most of the other acts, including sixtime Grammy winner James Taylor, gave abbreviated performances. Still, Brown helped support the cause by auctioning off some Red Sox memora bilia along with a signed picture of her self. This year's concert is expected to raise more than $350,000 for the Foundation To Be Named Later, a branch of the Red Sox Foundation created by Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein and his brother Paul. The stage was erected inside under the concrete beams supporting Fenway's booming structure amidst puddles and metal barricades separating fans from the performers. The stage, incidentally, was a small area carved under a sign for lobsters and clam rolls. But the less-than-ideal set-up didn't seem to faze the audience. Performers also made the most of the intimate setting. Of course, the `` American Idol'' questions for Brown were inevitable, and she fielded many from emcee Mike O'Malley, former star of the CBS TV show `` Yes, Dear.'' Brown also announced that she will record a CD after her `` American Idol'' contract expires on August 24 and before she starts classes at Boston College on Sept. 4. But as the event's purpose and its dim, damp setting indicated, it wasn't about Hollywood, and it didn't need to be. LAUREN CARTER can be reached at 508-236-0339 or at lcarter@thesunchronicle.com.