A tribute band to some of rock's biggest names will be performing in Nanaimo to raise funds for the Loaves and Fishes Community Food Bank.
Coast to Coast is a B.C. tribute band formed in 2023, focusing on the music of Scorpions, UFO, and the Michael Schenker Group. The band describes themselves as an "authentic '80s concert experience you don't want to miss" from the "heyday of arena rock."
"We like to say we're doing an '80s concert experience because the music we're playing and stage setup is like stepping back to the '80s with big amps and big production," said Larry Anschell, the band's manager, speaking with the News Bulletin.
For Nanaimo's show, all net proceeds from ticket sales will go to Loaves and Fishes. This isn't the first gig the band performed for food banks, either. In March, the band raised $3,300 in cash and collected 170 pounds of food for the Surrey Food Bank during their debut concert.
In a press release, Vijay Naidu, the Surrey Food Bank's manager of communications and community partnerships, said the concert not only made an impact fundraising, but also helped raise their visibility.
"These funds will directly contribute to providing essential food assistance and support services to individuals and families facing food insecurity and support those in need," Naidu said.
The band hopes to raise $5,000 in Nanaimo.
Anschell said that while the target audience for classic hard rock seems to be over 50, they want to expand the music to all ages.
"We're also hoping to attract the new generation of kids who listened to their parents' record collections and realized what a great era of music it was."
Coast to Coast performs at Nanaimo's Port Theatre on July 6 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on the Port Theatre's website at http://tickets.porttheatre.com.