A Nanaimo holiday tradition of musicians teaming up to help those in need returns to the Queen’s.
Local bluesman Michael Patrick will hold his annual Christmas fundraiser this Thursday, Dec. 15. All proceeds will go to Samaritan Place, a supportive housing building on Nicol Street managed by the Island Crisis Care Society, according to a release for the event.
The fundraiser will feature seven Nanaimo and Victoria-based bands, all of which will perform for free to raise money for the cause. In the past, the event has supported the food bank and the Salvation Army.
Patrick said when he moved back to Nanaimo in 2014 after six years away, Queen’s owner Jerry Hong gave him the green light to continue the Christmas fundraiser, and said Kirsten Seiler from the Queen’s “has been the best partner I could ever work with,” handling the event’s charitable side to allow Patrick to focus on the music side.
This year’s lineup includes Maple Blues Award winners Brandon Isaak and David Gogo; the Glen Foster Group to play rock/pop from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s as well as their own originals; Cosmosaurus with “beautiful vocal harmonies that warm the heart and feed the soul;” Mohogany, a modern rhythm-and-blues band consisting of current and graduated Vancouver Island University students; the Narrows, a three-piece group of Lee Worden, Lindsay Martel and Duncan Symonds; and the Michael Patrick Blues band featuring a mix of blues covers and original songs.
Patrick’s Christmas fundraiser will take place at the Queen’s, 34 Victoria Cres., on Dec. 15, starting at 5 p.m. and running until “late into the night.”
Admission is $15, cash only, available at the door.
There will also be gift donations given by local businesses to be raffled for cash donations.
More information on the programs at Island Crisis Care Society can be found at www.islandcrisiscaresociety.ca.
READ MORE: Permanent supportive housing building opening on Nanaimo’s Nicol Street
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