Funk For Food: A Weekend of Greazy Relief @ The Cabooze
March 7, 8 & 9

Dear OGMFs:

First of all, our apologies: we really wanted to break this news here first on the website, but the Cabooze beat us to the punch. (It seemed like it was up on their site seconds after the phone call was made.) So we’re playing catch-up here, but nevertheless, we know you people deserve the full story… SO! Here’s the deal:

For some time now the idea of getting the Meal back together has been kicking around. We, like you, are prone to reminiscing about how fun those shows were, and we, like you, know a transcendental musical experience when we’ve had one! Though we’ve all been fulfilling our creative Joneses in a variety of settings, (and moving to cool new places, and having babies, etc…) we each have held a special spot for that which was Greazy Meal.

Up to now, these feelings haven’t amounted to more than the occasional ‘what if?’ conversation. Given everyone’s schedules, and the geographic fact that Anania and StrawB now live on opposite coasts, it seemed like to make a Meal show happen, there would have to be the a really good reason.

So what’s the really good reason?

Leah Nelson, the amazing Greazy Meal dancer known to many of you as ‘Mistress Interpretress’ is from Zimbabwe, where her family still resides. We were married in Zimbabwe in 1997, and at that time I became acquainted with that beautiful country. Since then we’ve watched as the situation in Zimbabwe has spiraled downward due to drought and political upheaval. Today 7.2 million Zimbabweans are on the verge of starvation.

We’ve decided to transform our feelings up helplessness into action, and to that end we’ve formed Friends of Zimbabwe (FOZ). We plan on recruiting the wealth of talent that resides here in Minnesota with the aim of staging benefits to raise funds for relief in Zimbabwe. And so it was natural to start with the most talented group of musicians we know: Greazy Meal.

Leah made the phone calls, and one by one, each of the guys whole-heartedly said, “Yes!” This includes all 8 original members featured on the first 2 CDs: Julius C. Collins, Brian Gallagher, Dave Anania, Ken Chastain, John Fields, Jim Anton, Tommy Barbarella, and myself, spicyt. (Tom Scott)

Friday & Saturday’s shows will raise funds for CARE, a relief agency operating on the ground in Zimbabwe. Our research shows they are an effective and efficient organization.

Sunday’s show will feature a reduced admission at the door with a donation of canned goods for local foodshelves to help out closer to home.

Please help us spread the word for a great cause and a great time. We’re looking forward to seeing you all at the shows. Hopefully you’ll make it to all three!

Peace!

spicyt
aka Tom Scott

PS: More details on guest artists & ticket cost coming shortly!