Photos courtesy of Raymond Hayden
ROCKING FOR FOOD. Pop country sweetheart Savannah will be bringing her unique musical sound to the FISH Food Banks Benefit Concert, taking place May 1 at Westminster Presbyterian Church.
2010 marks the third year that FISH Food Banks will be holding a fundraising concert, with bands from local record label Maurice the Fish Records providing the rock for a great cause.
Raymond Hayden, CEO of the record label, came up with the idea as a way to support one of his favorite local organizations as well as get his musicians heard by a broader audience.
“I’ve worked with (FISH Food Bank Executive Director) Beth Elliott in the past and have been donating for years on my own. One day I came up to her and thought that there are so many causes out there, this is the one I want to get a hold on.”
The musicians and performers that will frame the day for FISH Food Banks include a wide array of musical artists, spanning nearly every genre imaginable.
The JNC Trio is a blues band very much in the vein of John Mayer; Eric Montgomery is a one man piano/drummer and plays Elton John and Fleetwood Mac-type tracks; Savannah is a pop country singer who will appeal to fans of Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus, and whose album, “Reaching Serenity” was recently released; Nick Sandy plays original songs also in the style of contemporary musicians John Mayer and Jason Mraz; Raymond Hayden and the Dark Drive Home are a five-piece acoustic band, featuring the label’s founder, that play a Pink Floyd meets Chicago type of jam; and lastly, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter and filmmaker Danielle Egnew will be bringing her folk, country and pop rock sound to the event.
Entrance to the FISH Food Banks fundraising concert is free, but a basket will be prominently displayed for attendants to donate throughout the event, with all proceeds raised going directly to the non-profit organization. Since 1973 FISH has been providing food for Pierce County residents on a non-discriminatory basis. Last year’s benefit concert raised $1,700 and this year the musicians and Hayden want to bring in $4,000, more than double last year’s donations.
“One hundred percent of the proceeds go to FISH,” Hayden stated. “All of the artists donate their time, the food for the artists is donated by my mom and the church. All the merchandise sales by the artists go to FISH as well.
“It’s an exciting thing, because every dollar we raise equates to $7 worth of food. And there was a 34 percent increase in requests for food in 2009 over 2008.”
Due to the amount of musical variety and genres that Maurice the Fish Records brings to the table, the FISH Food Banks Benefit Concert is a family-friendly event that will offer up musical acts to provide solid entertainment for everyone, no matter what their age.
“That’s the reason why we have these artists playing – to capture all ages. All ages would appreciate it,” Hayden stated. The first half of the event is geared toward younger ones and teenagers, and the second half is geared toward adult and older audiences, Hayden affirmed.
In addition to the impressive selection of music, there will be many door prizes given away that have been donated to the event by local businesses and restaurants. Each person who attends the event gets a ticket, but they have to be present to win a prize. The Tempest Lounge, Matador, the Tacoma Rainiers, Leatherman Tools of Portland, McCormick Woods Golf Course in Gig Harbor, Silver City Breweries in Bremerton, Lenderman Martial Arts Academy and more will be providing the vast array of door prize opportunities to concertgoers.
“We reached out to the community and they contributed some nice packages. Five of the gifts are packages where a musician comes to the winner’s house or company party and performs. People love it, it’s a nice event,” Hayden said.
For those who cannot attend the benefit concert but still want to contribute to FISH Food Bank’s efforts, there is a link on the FISH website that allows for safe, online donations to the organization.
For those looking for a way to get out, enjoy some great local music of all genres and support a far-reaching cause in Pierce County, the FISH Food Banks Benefit Concert is the place to be.
The third annual FISH Food Banks Benefit Concert will take place May 1 from 6-9 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 5236 E. ‘B’ St. Admission to the concert is free, but donations to support FISH Food Banks are welcomed and gladly accepted. For more information, visit http://www.fishfoodbanks.org.