The holidays are not all parties and eggnog hangovers for everyone. Many people in our community are left in need of everyday essentials— like food and clothing.
Feed Toledo Music Fest, a benefit rock concert, will provide an opportunity to give back by donating items to the Toledo Food Bank. The concert, organized by concerned citizen Tyler E. Bloch and hosted at Realm, will provide an exciting atmosphere, great music, and a night full of meaning, for the local music scene and community as a whole.
A realm experience
With the recent closure of Innovation Concerts, the Toledo music scene has felt the loss. Realm, however, housed in the former location of Rocket Bar, is allowing local music-lovers to exhale in relief.
The owner and operator, Doug Amstutz, has been running nightclubs in Toledo for over 15 years. Realm opened early last spring as a nightclub, but closed for the summer in anticipation for school to get back in session, before reopening. Amstutz says they have been making changes for a better venue.
“We were actually already in the course of turning over to a concert venue, more so than a club, before Innovation Concerts announced they were closing,” Amstutz said.
In addition to changing his venue to reflect the tastes of the locals, Amstutz considers it his responsibility to give back to the community. This is why he wanted to be involved with the Feed Toledo Music Fest, brought to his attention by James Herkimer, one of the people who books for the venue. “I love doing anything local, and I love doing anything especially that’s going to be a charity event where we can help somebody out. So it’s a win-win,” said Amstutz. Daniel Clowers, a well-known concert promoter in the area, is also lending his expertise to the event. Realm will be donating the venue, helping with setup, and supplying the employees who will be working the event.
Feeding the community
Tyler E. Bloch, vocalist of the post-hardcore/heavy metal band Civil Hands, is the organizer of the event.
“It was kind of my brainchild. I’ve been in music forever, and I’ve always thought it would be cool if the music scene could actually do something— actually do some good for people. And I figured this was a good way to do it, especially over the holidays,” Bloch stated emphatically.
He wants people to realize that while hunger and starvation are worldwide problems, it is also an issue in our own backyard. “There’s starving children in Toledo. It’s a lot closer to home than you realize. I guarantee everyone who reads this article will know at least a couple people [who] go to bed hungry or don’t know where their next meal is coming from, whether they know that or not,” said Bloch.
Bloch hopes the mutual benefits for everyone involved will make the event a huge success. Not only will the food bank receive its much needed donations, but the hope is that a large crowd will be drawn in, allowing the bands to gather a bigger following, also while contributing to buzz about and sales for Realm.
With careful consideration, Bloch not only connected with the venue and food bank, but also hand-picked all seven bands playing at the event. All of the bands are local, within the greater Toledo area, or have frequented Toledo stages. Performing bands include Colour Rise, Kid Grizzly, Silver Age, The Flats, Into the Wild, Cross My Heart, and Lucian Townes.
Helping others by stepping back
To appeal to a larger audience, Bloch decided his band, Civil Hands, which plays heavier metal and which also has an opening slot for The Plot in You concert at Realm the following night, will not play at the event. “I wanted to keep the show more public-friendly. So I picked more alternative rock bands who are just fun to hear,” Bloch said. He sincerely hopes his band will have the chance to play at a benefit event in the future.
Bloch wants people to know they can also make a positive impact in the community. He stated, “It doesn’t take someone special to get involved and really make a big change. You just have to have the motivation and have to really want to do that and believe that you can.” This is the first time Bloch has organized an event to support a cause. However, the message is clear: it’s never too late to help others. “It’s gonna be up to everyone in the community to come together and be a big part of this,” Bloch implored to his fellow concerned citizens.
He also stressed the importance of supporting the bands in Toledo, which he says deserve more recognition for the hard work they put into their art. The support, according to Bloch, “means way more than people think.”
From the energy, compassion, and dedication of those hosting and organizing the event, there is a contagious sense of social responsibility to aid those in need and to foster support for the local music scene. Continuing this sort of engagement between the locals, musical talent, and businesses will allow the community and music industry to thrive and continue to grow. Come support the event and make this the most wonderful time of the year for everyone.
Feed Toledo Music Fest. Non-perishable food items, clothing, or cash donations for entry.
Doors at 7pm | Friday, December 11 | Realm, 135 S. Byrne Rd. | 419-214-1005. | realmtoledo.com | facebook.com/events/473919192786031/
