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All Else Fails Comment On Performing At Blank-fest Calgary For The Homeless
Lead vocalist and guitarist Barrett Klesko of St. Albert, AB based melodic metallers All Else Fails commented on the band performing as one of the headliners at this year’s first annual Blank-fest Calgary, which raises awareness and winter clothing Calgary’s homeless and shelter The Mustard Seed.
“We’re truly honoured to be asked by the organizers to perform at Calgary’s first ever Blank-fest. It’s truly a great cause especially how we all know how cold Calgary can get in the winter months and just living in Canada in general can be a complete freeze over, and for those living on the streets to keep them warm is the least we can do to help.”
Blank-fest Calgary is about the homeless, nothing more and nothing less that is the simple message it presents in its first annual clothing fundraiser for Calgary’s homeless shelter The Mustard Seed. The charity event will take place on November 5th at the Blind Beggar Pub and is spearheaded by Leanne Harrison who runs the national tour booking agency, The SIN Agency, and has brought together the local music scene for the great cause to help those who live on Calgary’s streets during the below zero winter months and are exposed to dangers such as frostbite.
Details on Blank-fest Calgary can be found at the following links:
Blank-fest Calgary – http://www.facebook.com/BlankFest.Calgary
Facebook Event (please share) – http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=266382430068375
For more info on The Mustard Seed please visit www.theseed.ca
Blnd Beggar Pub – http://www.blindbeggarpub.com/
For more information, contact event organizer Leanne Harrison at leanne@sinagency.ca – 403-863-5100
Event Details:
Tickets or reservations are not required. Simply bring one or more blankets to the event.
Date: Saturday, November 5, 2011
Time: 2 p.m. to 2 a.m
Venue: Blind Beggar Pub, 5211 Macleod Trail Southwest
Calgary, AB
Cost: Admission to the event is a donation of a blanket or winter clothing, or pay what you can monetary donation. All proceeds collected will be donated to The Mustard Seed.
Band Line Up:
Grime House (Airdrie AB) – Hip Hop/ Metal – http://www.grimehouse.com/
Stella (Vancouver BC) – Alternative/ Metalcore – http://www.reverbnation.com/stellagrooves
All Else Fails (Edmonton AB) – Metalcore – http://www.allelsefails.ca/
Inside It Failed (Vancouver BC) – Alternative Hard Rock – http://www.insideitfailed.com/
Dreams of Reason (Calgary AB) – Alternative Rock – http://www.dreamsofreason.com/
Alkatine (Calgary AB) – Hard Rock – https://www.facebook.com/pages/ALKATINE/128843623746
King Dylan (Calgary AB) – Pop/ Hip Hop – http://kingdylan.com/
Jung People (Calgary AB) – Progressive – http://www.reverbnation.com/jungpeople
Bloom (Calgary AB) – Reggae/ Dub/ Blues – http://www.bloomdub.com/
Septembryo (Calgary AB) – Pop Alternative – http://www.septembryo.com/
Million Dollar Fix (Calgary AB) – Rock – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Million-Dollar-Fix/117569551591419
Same Monkey (Calgary AB) – Alternative
– https://www.facebook.com/pages/Same-Monkey/258550814168457
About Blankfest:
BlankFest Documentary 1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_nZr7wZhjc
Blankfest Documentary II – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtUy2Oms2Cw
BlankFest Documentary III – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QNKJIPP21Y
Blank-Fest is an annual benefit concert, usually held one-to-two weeks before Christmas, which raises blankets for the homeless. It was founded in 1997 in Nyack, NY (a suburb approximately 20 miles outside of New York City) by Kenn Rowell who is the frontman for the NYC-based band, The Baghdaddios.
Over the years Blank-Fest has collected over 5,900 total donations for the homeless. With the exception of one year (2001) donations in every year has increased. Much of this growth can be attributed to increased exposure through local radio, the internet and the press, including featured articles in the New York Daily News and mentions in the New York Post.[1] In addition there have been satellite shows that have been formed in other states, cities and countries. So numerous have donations been in recent years that volunteers have had to split the distribution/delivery of blankets to the less fortunate on multiple nights, starting on Christmas Eve. Often excess donations are distributed to homeless shelters as well.
Efforts to duplicate the successes of the early Nyack shows proved elusive at best until New Jersey-based independent artist activist, Richard Kubicz read about Blank-Fest’s efforts in the Daily News and proposed a “sister show” at a local club in Garwood, NJ. The first Blank-Fest-NJ, promoted extensively through Kubicz’s D.I.Y. music website Let’s Rock America [1] was a resounding success, netting 200 blankets which were donated directly to a neighboring homeless shelter in Cranford and garnered notice in the Bergen County press in 2006. Last year’s second annual Jersey show produced similar results. Similarly, Blank-Fest UK [2] was founded in Nottingham, England after a local recording studio owner heard an interview with The Baghdaddios on the British Armed Forces Radio Network, BFBS Radio One during the group’s Summer 2007 tour of England. Upon hearing about both the American and UK efforts Ontario-based photographer Gaynor Fletcher approached Rowell regarding the formation of a Blank-Fest Canada show. Also, debuting in 2007, in Guelph, ON, the inauguaral Canadian event featured popular Canadian folk artist James Gordon and was covered extensively by the Canadian media [2], raising well over 100 blankets.
In addition to these shows former Baghdaddios bassist, John Sidoti joined forces with local internet radio personality Ron Purtee to develop the first-ever Blank-Fest Wisconsin, [3], also in 2007, in the Milwaukee-area suburb of Racine.
Currently, there are 8 Blank-Fest shows serving 7 major metropolitan areas in three countries. In addition to those mentioned previously, 2008 has seen the addition of three additional shows: Blank-Fest Florida, which is hosted in Northern Florida (Lake City, near Gainesville, FL) and Blank-Fest VA, which is hosted in Richmond, VA (see links below).
In addition, promoters in Bridgeport, CT as well as Ottawa, Canada have begun work for premiere Blank-Fest shows in December 2009. The first Blank-Fest Quebec (which was also the first “post-Holiday Season” Blank-Fest show) which took place on Saturday evening, February 21, 2009, garnered approximately 503 total donations [4].
Currently plans are in development to expand Blank-Fest even further. There has been talk of shows in Texas, Northeast Pennsylvania, Ohio and Atlanta, GA. Several additional popular artists have been approached regarding future such shows. Quoted in a newspaper interview in 2000, Rowell maintained that “as long as there is the issue of homelessness we will continue to have a Blank-Fest”, further adding that he wishes “we didn’t have to hold these shows” but that, until the situation dramatically improves, everyone involved understands that they really have no other choice.
Vancouver’s zombie hunting punk rockers Kill Matilda have posted their most recent tour journal from their cross Canada “Zombie Apocalypse” tour in promotion of their recently released debut full-length, “I Want Revenge”, out as of October 11th.
Vancouver’s 
ashermediarelations.com 