Band merch makes for merry fundraiser
More than a dozen performers donated items to be raffled off
When Nolan Jodes and his band the Weather Wild decided to put on a fundraiser for the Community Care Food Bank, they had one problem: Who wants to bring food to a concert?
So they called up their friends in Niagara’s music scene for an alternative — a merchandise auction.
Instead of lugging around canned goods, concertgoers at the Not So Silent Night show at The Warehouse on Saturday,
Dec. 22, can bid on swag from other Niagara bands.
“We thought, as great as these (fundraisers) are, it’s not really conducive to a concert-type atmosphere,” he says. “So we thought, everybody’s got some money they’re bringing, so let’s try to trade money for some cool music goods.”
When he put the call out, the response was “heartwarming.” More than a dozen performers — and counting — donated such items as T-shirts, artwork and CDs, which will all be bundled up into three huge gift baskets to be raffled off.
“I wasn’t sure how it was going to go over, but it’s been overwhelmingly positive,” says Jodes. “Everybody was into it and thought it was a great idea. Nobody said no.”
Thus far, the fundraiser has gathered merchandise from Majora, Strange Shakes, Danny Lamb, DRFTR, Electric Dead, Revive the Rose, My Son the Hurricane, Other wives, the Country Junkies, Mel Monaco, Treetops, Birds of Ontario, Road Waves, Jessica Wilson, Oast, Creekside and Silversmith.
The concert will feature the Weather Wild, DRFTR and Brooke Georgeneau.
Jodes says the event is twofold — raising money for Community Care and giving exposure to some local artists.
“The idea we had, getting together the music community in Niagara, it just kind of rang true.”
Jodes has restarted his music career since returning to Niagara after12 years in Thunder Bay, working as a paramedic. After working with producer Joe Lapinski, it has been “go, go, go.”
As a solo artist, Jodes won for adult contemporary artist of the year at September’s Niagara Music Awards. The Weather Wild was nominated for new group of the year and folk artist of the year.