Team Brick was on hand last Sunday when four great bands hit the stage for the Foodstock benefit concert Brick co-sponsored at Toad’s Place in Richmond.  For a mere $10, concertgoers were privy to extended performances by The Big Guys, Moosa, Throwin Knivez and Sin Sity while the show’s proceeds went towards Haitian hunger relief.

When I arrived, I introduced myself to the show’s organizer James Talley.  Talley, the owner of Commercial Taphouse & Grill and keyboardist and vocalist for The Big Guys, was inspired to start the Haitian Hunger Project after he journeyed to Ouanaminthe, Haiti last April. 

After Talley experienced the devastation there, he formed the Haitian Hunger Project, a cooperative organization with the Richmond Vineyard Christian Fellowship, who works in concert with the HHP as a non-profit.  “The Haitian Hunger Project is just a friendly group of people who want to do what they can to help,” Talley said. 

The Haitian Hunger Project is collecting donations to finish a warehouse to house non-perishable food and a well so the people of Ouanaminthe can have fresh drinking water.  “While we’re waiting for food to come from Food for the Poor [an international relief and development organization based in Coconut Creek, Florida], we want to be able to provide food, too,” Talley said.

Mandy was instrumental in helping to organize and promote the Foodstock show before the event, and Jim, along with Brick friends Amy Lundsford and Joel Nolting came out to support the charitable efforts.  I’ll admit I’m a little bit hip-hop, but I’m also a little bit rock ‘n roll, so I was happy to take the stage and introduce the bands before each set.

During the intermission, I told a few jokes, selected the winning raffle ticket numbers and awarded prizes that included several gift certificates to area restaurants and even a coupon for a day of beauty that went to a male recipient.  Hey, who doesn’t like getting pampered these days?

Foodstock was also a great opportunity to meet some of our longtime Brick readers in person, and they confronted me with some of the burning questions they had about the magazine. 

Is Andrea dating anyone, and why don’t we publish her phone number underneath her e-mail address on the Answer It page?  Who makes the final decision on cover art submissions, is it possible to get the $50 in cash if an art submission gets chosen for the cover and why on Earth did we decide to “reload” Brick? 

Fortunately, the music’s volume started to overwhelm my voice before I slipped up and shared our trade secrets.  I was confronted with many questions, and honestly, I didn’t provide many answers, but it was more important to focus on the music anyway.

The Big Guys hit the stage first with Talley on the keys and performed several songs that spanned their catalog of covers and original tunes including the fan favorite “Bee Line” from the days when the group was known as The Good Guys.  Moosa followed up with a slew of bouncy rock tunes and ballads that kept concert goers dancing in the aisles.

All the headbangers in the house flocked to the stage when Throwin Knivez performed, and AC/DC tribute band Sin Sity closed out the show with their signature brand of rock.  Evil Angus Yeti, one of Sin Sity’s guitar players, brought his axe down into the crowd to better connect with spectators.

In short, Foodstock rocked, but if you missed the concert, there’s still a chance to make a donation if you’d like to help. 

TO HELP:
Donations will be accepted in person at Commercial Taphouse & Grill,
111 N Robinson St., Richmond, VA 23220, (804) 359-6544, or by mail at Haitian Hunger Project
c/o Richmond Vineyard Christian Fellowship, P.O. Box 5124, Richmond, VA 23220.
Make checks payable to VCF

WEB | http://www.richmondvineyard.com