The Unlikely Candidates, Viretta to Rock Fundraiser for Parker’s Creative District
by Tim Wenger
The PACE Center in Parker will be hosting a benefit for Parker’s Creative District at Old Town on April 25. Featuring Atlantic Records artist The Unlikely Candidates from Fort Worth, Texas and local Parker rockers Viretta, the event is the first of its’ kind in Parker and seeks to raise $8-10,000 for the Creative District.
“It will be the first fundraiser for that district that will allow us to raise matching funds for the grants that we have already been targeted for,” said Don Mack, Chairman of the Finance Committee for Parker’s Creative District at Old Town. Tickets for the event are available at PACEcenteronline.com or by calling 303-805-6800.
Event headliners The Unlikely Candidates have been touring nationally and gaining a good following in the Denver area, including Mack himself. “I’ve been listening to them for six or seven months now, since they released their EP, and I like the band,” said Mack. “They get play on KTCL, and I’m sitting in a coffee shop here in Parker one day and they’ve got music playing in the background. The girl who is the barista here says ‘Oh I know that band!’” Mack had her introduce him to a member of the band. “She connected me with the bass player Jared (Hornbeek). As time went on with my involvement with the Creative District and I saw a need for fundraising, I got the brilliant idea of, why not a concert? Why not bring these guys here? They’re well liked in Colorado, well played in Colorado.”
After inquiring about booking the band for the event, Mack went to Clear Channel and asked them to get behind the event with airtime for the band. He also asked local merchants in Parker if they would support the event and received a unanimous yes. “The next thing you know, I’m putting together a concert,” says Mack.
Opening act Viretta is an alt-rock band from Parker that started in 2010. They have acquired a solid local following through gigging around the front range, their debut album Bit Your Lips and follow-up EP The Sanctuary.
Mack and his team hope to turn this into a strong annual fundraiser for the Creative District, something that the citizens of Parker look forward to and get behind each year. “We’ve talked about starting to create some kind of an annual music event here in Parker that would benefit that district,” says Mack. “This is kind of the proving ground. It’s given me a big education on what it takes to put together a show. But that’s where I’m going with it, I’m going to try and create something on an annual basis.”
The event is sponsored by VINE Wine Bar, KTCL Channel 93.3, Tailgate Tavern, Hall Brewing Co., and This Is Entertainment, who will be bringing in a photo booth for the event to boost social media activity. “It’s kind of an interactive photo booth,” says Mack. “People can go in there with their friends and take selfies and it’s all computerized so they can instantly link it to Twitter or Facebook plus print out a full-color copy right on the spot.”
The event is seeking a corporate sponsor. For information, contact Don Mack at DGMack@cooljuice.com.
Online: facebook.com/theunlikelycandidtatesatPACEcenter
Category: localnews2
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