A March 3 concert hosted by the College of Arts Student Union (CASU) will feature three local Guelph bands ─ The Johnston Brothers, Speed River Riot and What She Said ─ and Toronto’s Hear, Comes the Cavalry. Entry to the 7 p.m. show in Peter Clark Hall will be a cash donation to the University’s BetterPlanet Project.
CASU executive member Mayleah Quenneville says the student group wants to hand over a large campaign donation that will benefit U of G student programs. “It’s a good cause,” she says, and it’s nice to see something happening on campus that students can support.” And the bands are really great, she adds.
The Johnston Brothers was formed during a 2008 Johnston Hall jam session between front man Christian Carlucci, drummer Joseph Cull and guitarist Adam Helfand-Green. They’ve since added bassist Campbell Sanderson.
Speed River Riot is a recently formed trio of fourth-year Guelph music students: Dan Sherrington on guitar and lead vocals, Matt Simpson on guitar and back-up vocals and Danny Berezowski on sax, keys, shakers and rhythm.
What She Said blends funk, rock, soul and hip hop. Its seven members are also current Guelph students and recent graduates: Nick Moore, Julie Neff, Matt Cays, Daniel Berzen, Jason Field and Aaron Witham.
Also confirmed for the licensed concert is Hear, Comes the Cavalry, a Toronto band making its first appearance on campus. But there’s a U of G connection through drummer Spencer Irvine whose sister, Courtney, is a Guelph undergraduate student. The other band members are Jeff Enright, Liam Kearney, James Moss and Tanner Reinhardt.
A third-year student in history and criminal justice, Quenneville says the idea for the benefit concert originated with CASU president Laura Cuthbertson at a brainstorming session to come up with a fundraising idea. The group received a $500 grant from the Office of Student Affairs to fund the concert, which means that all student donations at the door will go to The BetterPlanet Project.
Quenneville thanks Joseph Cull of the Johnston Brothers and Mike Calvert, manager of operations at the Brass Taps Bar and Grill for their technical assistance.