Blank-Fest
Encyclopedia
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.
Upon further reflection Rowell arrived at the idea of holding a benefit concert where people attending could contribute one blanket of any condition in lieu of a cover charge for admission to the show. These donations were intended to be delivered by Rowell and several volunteers, directly, to the City's homeless on Christmas Eve. The first Blank-Fest was held at a local club in Nyack called Mai Place and netted 40 blankets. The next year saw 70 blankets donated at the same club, since renamed The Loft. After that local entrepreneur Chuck Debruyn convinced Rowell to move the show up the road to Bruxelles a bar-restaurant that he had recently bought into. Debruyn reasoned that there would be more room for parking, plus a guaranteed walk-in crowd. The show has been held at this establishment ever since.
and mentions in the New York Post
. 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.
area-based groups including international touring act Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan, The Wheel and future Bruxelles part-owner Debruyn who performed as a solo artist. While always priding itself on featuring local independent, or "homegrown" music acts, in addition the benefit has attracted likewise talented songwiters and bands which boast an impressive list of major recording label ties and a solid reputation for touring and recording including EMI artist Patti Rothberg
, pedal steel guitar great Buddy Cage
, former Misfits guitarist and founder of The Undead
, Bobby Steele
, Soulfly lead guitarist Marc Rizzo
, Sirius Radio personality Meg Griffin
, international jazz oomposer Mike McGinnis
and the founder of the Anti-folk
school of music, Lach
.
-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 http://www.letsrockamerica.com 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 http://www.remotegoat.co.uk/link_external.php?name=Blank-Fest+%5BUK%5D2007&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ethikentertainment.com%2Fblankfest.htm&e=18680 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 , 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, , 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 Calgary and 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 .
, 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.
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, which raises blankets for the homeless. It was founded in 1997 in Nyack, NY (a suburb approximately 20 miles outside of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) by Kenn Rowell who is the frontman for the NYC-based band, The Baghdaddios.
History
Rowell, in previous interviews detailed how he had always wanted to do "something charitable" on Christmas Eve. Among the many things he considered were keeping the disabled father of an old neighborhood friend company, singing in the children's ward of a hospital and collecting blankets from friends to dispense amongst New York City's homeless on Christmas Eve. Doing just that, for the first time in 1996, he enjoyed the experience so much that he decided to do the same thing again, next year. It was at that time that his friends told him that they had no more blankets to donate saying that Rowell had "cleaned them out" from the previous year.Upon further reflection Rowell arrived at the idea of holding a benefit concert where people attending could contribute one blanket of any condition in lieu of a cover charge for admission to the show. These donations were intended to be delivered by Rowell and several volunteers, directly, to the City's homeless on Christmas Eve. The first Blank-Fest was held at a local club in Nyack called Mai Place and netted 40 blankets. The next year saw 70 blankets donated at the same club, since renamed The Loft. After that local entrepreneur Chuck Debruyn convinced Rowell to move the show up the road to Bruxelles a bar-restaurant that he had recently bought into. Debruyn reasoned that there would be more room for parking, plus a guaranteed walk-in crowd. The show has been held at this establishment ever since.
Growth
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 NewsNew York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
and mentions in the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
. 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.
Talent
MCed by Rowell's long-time band, The Baghdaddios, the first Blank-Fest only featured a handful of local, Hudson ValleyHudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
area-based groups including international touring act Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan, The Wheel and future Bruxelles part-owner Debruyn who performed as a solo artist. While always priding itself on featuring local independent, or "homegrown" music acts, in addition the benefit has attracted likewise talented songwiters and bands which boast an impressive list of major recording label ties and a solid reputation for touring and recording including EMI artist Patti Rothberg
Patti Rothberg
Patti Rothberg is a New York-based singer, songwriter, recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and painter/artist.Born in New York City Rothberg grew up in Scarsdale, NY, playing piano from the age of 3 and writing songs by the age of 15, joining a high school Rod Stewart cover band.Rothberg...
, pedal steel guitar great Buddy Cage
Buddy Cage
Buddy Cage is an American pedal steel guitarist, best known as a longtime member of the New Riders of the Purple Sage....
, former Misfits guitarist and founder of The Undead
The Undead
The Undead is a horror punk band formed in 1980 in New Milford, New Jersey by Bobby Steele , Chris "Jack" Natz , and Patrick Blanck . Bobby had just been fired from his previous band, The Misfits, when forming The Undead.They released their first EP 9 Toes Later in 1982...
, Bobby Steele
Bobby Steele
Bobby Steele is an American punk rock musician. He is the current guitar player, songwriter, and sole original member of punk band The Undead. He has been a member of multiple other bands, most notably, as the second guitarist of The Misfits...
, Soulfly lead guitarist Marc Rizzo
Marc Rizzo
Marc Rizzo is the lead guitarist of American metal band Soulfly and formerly of Ill Niño. He has featured on four Soulfly albums to date: Prophecy, Dark Ages, Conquer, and Omen. He has also released three solo instrumental albums; Colossal Myopia, The Ultimate Devotion, and Legionnaire...
, Sirius Radio personality Meg Griffin
Meg Griffin
Meg Griffin is a character from the animated television series Family Guy. She is the eldest child of Lois and Peter and elder sister of Chris and Stewie. Meg is considered as the black sheep of the series due to the lack of attention she receives....
, international jazz oomposer Mike McGinnis
Mike McGinnis
Mike McGinnis is an American saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.-Biography:He began playing the alto saxophone at age ten in his middle school band but it was not until the age of 14 when he started studying with saxophonist/mouthpiece maker/repairman Bill Street that he devoted himself to...
and the founder of the Anti-folk
Anti-folk
Anti-folk is a music genre that takes the earnestness of politically charged 1960s folk music and subverts it. The defining characteristics of this anti-folk are difficult to identify, as they vary from one artist to the next...
school of music, Lach
Lach
Lach is a musician associated with the anti-folk movement. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was trained as a classical pianist from an early age only to abandon it once he heard The Sex Pistols, The Jam and The Clash for the first time. Realizing he was a songwriter, Lach backtracked and explored...
.
Satellite shows
Efforts to duplicate the successes of the early Nyack shows proved elusive at best until New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
-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 http://www.letsrockamerica.com was a resounding success, netting 200 blankets which were donated directly to a neighboring homeless shelter in Cranford
Cranford, New Jersey
Cranford is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 22,625.Cranford was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 14, 1871, from portions of the Townships of Clark, Linden,...
and garnered notice in the Bergen County press in 2006. Last year's second annual Jersey show produced similar results. Similarly, Blank-Fest UK http://www.remotegoat.co.uk/link_external.php?name=Blank-Fest+%5BUK%5D2007&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ethikentertainment.com%2Fblankfest.htm&e=18680 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
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
-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
James Gordon (Canadian musician)
James Gordon is a Canadian singer-songwriter, known as a founding member of Tamarack. He has also released more than 20 solo albums. As a prolific songwriter, he is known for such diverse songs as "Sweaters for Penguins" and "Frobisher Bay". He wrote the weekly song for the CBC Radio program...
and was covered extensively by the Canadian media , 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, , also in 2007, in the Milwaukee-area suburb of Racine
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
.
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
Lake City, Florida
Lake City is the county seat of Columbia County, Florida, in the United States. In 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 12,614. In addition, it is the Principal City of the Lake City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is composed of Columbia County, and had an...
, 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 Calgary and 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 .
Future plans
Currently plans are in development to expand Blank-Fest even further. There has been talk of shows in TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Northeast Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
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.
External links
- Blank-Fest – Official website
- Blank-Fest UK
- Blank-Fest Canada
- Blank-Fest on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Blank-Fest Wisconsin (MySpace)
- Blank-Fest Florida (MySpace)
- Blank-Fest Richmond (VA) (MySpace)
- Let's Rock America (home of Blank-Fest New Jersey)