Saturday night revellers at Foxy’s Cabaret this weekend will be partying for a good cause. On that night, Foxy’s will hold its first All Star Musical Food Drive.”We want to give something back to the community, and especially our neighbours,” explains the bar’s co-owner Mahalia Budzinski. The Food Bank Society of Whitehorse, besides being a worthy cause, is right next door.”With the nature of our business, I’m sure we’ve inconvenienced the food bank over the last few months. It’s good to be able to do something to help them.”According to executive director Stephen Dunbar-Edge, the food bank is in desperate need. “Since this time last year our demand has increased 40 per cent. We are averaging six to 10 new clients per week.”For a minimum donation of $5 or an equivalent amount of food, guests will be in for a night of great music. The lineup includes seven established and up-and-coming bands of diverse musical styles, hosted by local musician Peggy Hanifan.”I wanted to pick everybody, but of course that wasn’t possible,” Hanifan says of the task of organizing the entertainment. “The ones I settled on for this first All Star Night will make for a rocking night.”Hanifan will open the show with a rock set, backed by guitarist-about-town, Rob “Roxx Hunter-hunter/”>Roxx Hunter” Hunter, pianist David Sutton, drummer Graeme Peters and Alex MacKay on bass. Hunter will play a set of all-original material with his new band.Peters’ emo-punk band Speed Control will also perform.”I’m happy to have Uncle Touchy playing. They’re a smoking hot new girl band,” Hanifan says. “It’s especially nice because most of bands in town are all men.”Moving on to the rest of the lineup, Hanifan says, “Rick Sward is playing with his new band, The Dirty Little Secrets. Rick has had a lot of bands over the years and I love his versatility.”Sometimes you don’t know what to expect. I haven’t heard this one yet, so it will be a surprise to me too,” she adds.”I booked the Brandon Isaak Band, because I wanted to bring a little blues to the show and I couldn’t think of anyone better than Brandon, Ed White and Dave Haddock. They have a great following at the Gold Rush.”Electric Cheese will close the show. The youngest players booked, they have special permission for that night to play in a bar.”I was blown away by how talented they are,” Hanifan says. “I love their music selection. And it’s great to see my friends’ kids in bands.”Electric Cheese features Aiden Tentrees, Gordie Tentrees’ nephew, and Patrick Hamilton, the son of Bob Hamilton and Annie Avery.”If all goes well, we’re hoping to hold musical food drives at least twice a year, with a lineup of different bands each time.”So take some well-needed groceries to Foxy’s and prepare for a musical feast.Dunbar-Edge’s suggested food donations are pasta, meals in a can, peanut butter, canned vegetables and fruit, canned meat, pasta sauce, kids’ lunch snacks or granola bars.
