In a garage, amidst boxes of memories, old books, tools and trinkets, a band of students begins to practice for their next gig — a battle of the bands.
It is a familiar scene, but this time there’s a twist. Jam Out Hunger, a high-school aged band competition is less than two weeks away and participating bands will be showcasing their music for a good cause — fighting hunger.
“Our big thing is that it’s a great community event,” said Jay Rock, the drummer for Syke 96, a high-energy, modern alternative rock band from Ralston Valley High School in Arvada. “We do a lot of charity events. The most rewarding thing is that you help out the community.”
The event, which will be held Friday, May 16 at the Arvada Center Ampitheatre, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., is a fundraiser for the Arvada Community Food Bank and is seeking to promote hunger awareness through youth and music.
“I want them to first off, understand hunger awareness,” said Councilman At-Large Bob Fifer, founder of the event. “That is ultimately the idea of Jam Out Hunger, is getting awareness to our youth in our community and also bridge between the youth, the food bank and the philanthropic and bring it all together into an event.”
The concert will showcase four to six high-school bands from across the Denver-metro area, playing their best music for a 1,600 person audience, battling for up to $5,000 in prizes. Each band brings a distinctive sound to the event, showcasing music from a variety of genres such as classic rock and pop-rock to punk and modern alternative.
“We love playing music and it’s what we want to do with our lives,” said Caleb Wynne, a guitarist with Extraterrestrial Philanthropy, a pop-rock punk band from Standley Lake High School. “It will be an experience, concerts are just fun, and seeing it from the other side of the glass — it will be like whoa!”
After each band plays a round, audience members can unlimitedly vote for a band by paying $1 or bringing two cans of food per a ticket. Organizers hope to raise around $20, 000 in donations from ticket sales, voting and donated food for the food bank.
All proceeds from the event go towards the food bank.
The event costs $5 in advance, or $8 at the door. Among the bands, attendees can expect to see a merchandise table, select local vendors, and munch on concessions from local restaurants, such as dollar tacos from Arvada’s Fuzzy’s Tacos.
“It’s an opportunity for kids who might not have money or the ability, but through their own talent can help a good cause which is the food bank,” Fifer said. “Here these kids come play their instruments, which they’re good at, and help raise money for the food bank by just contributing to the battle of the bands.”
For more information on Jam Out Hunger visit www.jamouthunger.com.