Free Gigs Fundraising Fun For Everyone
By Jemma Clarke
The fourth annual Reclink Community Cup is nearly here and the band MEAT CAKE along with Sumeru are ready to rock the roof off of Vic on the Park tonight!
Every Thursday night throughout July Vic on the Park has played host to fundraise for the infamous, semi-skilled AFL grudge match between local media personalities- the Sailors and rock gods- the Walers. With teams being announced in about a week or so, the match is to be held on the 2nd of August at Hensen Park in Marrickville from 11am and this year should bring more skills, more support and more girls. Adam Yee, Event Organiser says “support has been coming in from AFL NSW ACT and also the Sydney Swans who will have some presence on the day.” There will also be a pre-game match between two local girls’ teams.
Vic on the Park along with Young Henry’s have dedicated their venue, staff, PA system and beer money in order to support the great work that Reclink provides within the community. Reclink is a national charity that started up in Victoria in 1990 and now provides over 80,000 Australians with support through sporting events as well as music and art. Adam Yee says “they’re very proactive in engaging marginalised people.” The Community Cup, which began in Melbourne over 22 years ago has been getting larger in Sydney as years go by and have helped raise funds for Australians who are disadvantaged, isolated or vulnerable. Through free events people from all walks of life are able to be equally entertained and connected and who doesn’t love seeing some free live music?
MEAT CAKE band members Keith, Pete and Graeme are local musicians who have been around the area for many years. Although the band has only turned a year old, these musos are well versed to jamming out and entertaining crowds. Pete, the drummer of MEAT CAKES says, “as you get older and you continue to do the same kind of thing you get to know people.” He says it was as simple as being asked to play which lead singer, Keith, admits had been something on their to do list. He says “Funny thing is we were here one day and I said ‘I wanna play on that [stage]’ and well now we are.”
With their simple rock tunes the guys don’t take themselves too seriously but respect each other and their creative expression. “Most of the tunes are autobiographical from Keith’s perspective” says Pete. They are generally comical and quite relatable. Their signature song “Too Many Daves” is bound to be a crowd pleaser because who doesn’t know a Dave or two? “Everyone knows a lot of Daves… see we got too many of em” says Keith.
Sumeru will be bringing some “balls to the wall” metal groove along to your night in support of team Walers. The five piece Sydney band will thrash out songs off their Holy Lands album bringing you the kind of sound where you “…can just stand there and bang ya head or shake ya hips”. Having had a busy first half of the year touring around Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, Brisbane and Lismore, selling out shows and gaining more support, the guys decided to get on board and support the cause of the Community Cup. “Contributing 40 minutes of riffs to something like this helps a lot of people get organisations like Reclink out to people who need it” says Peter Bursky, guitarist of Sumeru, “we’re very happy to be a part of it.”
The guys from Sumeru have been playing together for about 5 years now and hope that these kinds of fundraising gigs continue to pull in people’s support so that charities like Reclink can rely less of government funding and more on generosity and kindness. Listen out for their opener “Spines” as well as “All I Am.”
There will be one more free gig at Vic on the Park next Thursday (30th) featuring Lisa Caruso, a sweet and sombre singer/songwriter as well as The Holy Soul, experimental, blasé rock ‘n’ rollers. Then the following night (July 31) at the Newtown Social Club, our very own Labor MP Mr. Anthony Albanese will be showing off his DJ skills! More than just your everyday Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Mr. Albanese’s secret skill will be sure to take you down to funky town. He will be spinning tracks between 8pm and 10pm in a bid to raise as many funds and as much awareness before the big game begins. There will be raffles with a chance to win a shiny new REID bike, GIBSON merchandise, loads of DVDs, comedy tickets and a limited edition silkscreen from Jim Jeffries Sydney tour.
For any more information about upcoming gigs and the Community Cup “like” Sydney Reclink Community Cup on Facebook, follow their Instagram or Twitter.
For more information about Reclink, its history, programs or how you can volunteer head to http://www.reclink.org/
