This week, Southwestern Pennsylvanians have the chance to feed their soul with music while feeding local families in need.
In its inaugural year, the Bands & Bids fundraiser, benefitting the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, has a variety of unique music items, tickets and experiences up for silent auction. The auction runs April 9 through April 16. On April 16, the fundraiser will also hold a party and concert at the Penn Hebron Garden Club in Penn Hills.
Retired longtime concert promoter and manager Lance Jones is spearheading the effort. He’s been raising funds for the Food Bank through in-person and online programs for decades.
“A single dollar is worth three meals. So, if you could raise five grand, eight grand, whatever you can raise, it can really benefit them,” Jones said in an interview.
He added that now, with fedderal funding cuts and a challenging economic landscape, helping the Food Bank is more important than ever.
To pull together the silent auction, Jones tapped fellow Pittsburgh music legends Rich Engler and Ed Traversari, global music promotion company Live Nation and others to amass a great collection of items. There are a total of 17 lots up for bid, according to Jones.
“It’s been challenging, but it’s been a lot of fun, honestly,” Jones said.
Framed album cover prints, posters and photos — some signed — of artists including Joe Jackson, Robert Plant, the Allman Brothers Band and Jeff Beck, are up for auction. There’s also a signed “bottle of red” wine from Billy Joel (in reference to his song “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”). As for experiences, there are tickets to see Paul Simon at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, as well as a pair of tickets to see Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind and Fire at PPG Paints Arena, both this summer.
Engler will also be opening his home for a party of six for one of the auction lots.
“You can go and have a cocktail party, and hors d’oeuvres, et cetera, and then Rich will take people downstairs to see his over-200-guitar collection,” Jones said.
The guitars are from various artists throughout Engler’s career.
The auction wil close at 10 p.m. on April 16, at the same time as the Bands & Bids event at Penn Hebron Garden Club ends. The event will have performances by The Polkamaniacs, The Jig-Offs and Ben Forbeck.
“I’m hoping for a big response because that will bring a lot of money for the food bank,” Jones said.
To participate in the Bands & Bids silent auction or purchase tickets for the April 16 event, visit pittsburghfoodbank.org/bands.