Part of the spirit of Christmas is chowing down on hot, juicy turkey with all the trimmings. But not everyone has the means to dish out a banquet.
With this thought in mind, classic rock band 69 AVE is fundraising for St. Albert Food Bank. Yes, whether it's starry skies or a blizzard, the five rockers are trekking down to LB’s Pub this coming Saturday night for a few sets of nostalgic rock.
“Just last week, we played Shakers Acres and raised 1,100 kg of food and $600 for the Edmonton Food Bank,” said St. Albert guitarist Jason Fry.
Familiar with the generosity of neighbours and friends, he is hoping the event will be a success. The band is humble about their efforts.
“The band has no special connection to the food bank. It’s just at this time of year, many are fortunate and this seems like such a worthy cause to help out those who may be struggling,” Fry said.
69 AVE also showcases the talents of St. Albert guitarist Terry Maruyama as well as Edmonton musicians Kim Ryll (lead vocalist), Heiko Ryll (drums) and Rod Harder (bass guitar).
A musician since his Paul Kane High School days, Fry also deals in side projects with heavy metal bands Ratt Poison and Bonafide. He explains that the long-time friends performed in a variety of groups before joining forces three years ago to create 69 AVE. The numerical moniker comes from the street the Rylls live on.
Since the initial grouping, 69 AVE has played many charity fundraisers, a private military party, Halloween functions, New Year's Eve celebrations, St. Patrick's Day shindigs and an annual Christmas show in St. Albert.
Although the cover band does not write original material, their catalogue is nothing to sneeze at. It spans about seven decades, ranging from Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Loverboy to Pat Benatar, Lady Gaga and Elle King.
“We’re all over the place,” said Fry who manages an auto dealership. “We all have day jobs and at night it’s fun to turn into our alter egos.”
The band is peforming three sets at a reduced rate basically to cover expenses. And they hope the light-hearted evening stirs up the holiday spirit.
“Put on an ugly Christmas sweater. Come down and have some eggnog and fun. Be both naughty and nice and help out the food bank.
69 AVE plays Saturday from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
LB’s Pub is at 23 Akins Dr.
