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Al Jacks, right, presents the members of Britainy Speerz with the \u201cbest band\u201d trophy at Winn$tock 2018. Winn$tock is a battle of the bands charity fundraiser featuring bands comprised of members of the financial and legal services communities. It returns Thursday evening after a seven-year hiatus.<\/p>\n
Winnipeg has many \u201ccloset musicians,\u201d said Brian Taylor, who sits on the event\u2019s 11-person organizing committee.<\/p>\n
That includes senior members of the financial and legal communities who are eager to trade their suits and spreadsheets for guitars and drums \u2014 if only for one night.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople come out and just give \u2018er,\u201d said Taylor, a retired wealth adviser and Beatles fanatic who plays guitar and bass. \u201cIt\u2019s a real Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Participating bands include the Redliners, Outperforming Assets, Corporate Distortion, Reckle$$ $aint$, Full Coverage and Arm Candy.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ll compete in front of three celebrity judges \u2014 traffic reporter Dev Oza, former Streetheart guitarist Jeff Neill and local singer Lisa Windsor \u2014 for the best band trophy.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ll also try to win the fan favourite award, as voted by audience members. No matter what happens on stage though, KidThink will emerge victorious.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were super excited to be chosen as the beneficiary for the Winn$tock battle of the bands,\u201d said Lindsay Pateman, fund development manager at the charity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re excited for the event, not only to raise funds for our Funding Futures for Children and Caregivers program, which provides free and subsidized mental health care to families in Manitoba, but also to just raise more awareness about mental health and youth to such a large audience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Organizers are expecting a sold out crowd of around 800 people, said Al Jacks, who started Winn$tock after learning about a similar event in Toronto.<\/p>\n
The first Winn$tock took place in 2005 and then ran annually through 2019, raising more than $1.2 million for various children\u2019s charities.<\/p>\n
Along the way, it inspired Techapalooza, an annual fundraising concert with musicians from Winnipeg\u2019s information technology sector that has raised more than $1 million for the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation.<\/p>\n
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Winn$tock took a hiatus when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Organizers began plotting its return two years ago.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a lot of work that includes 40 volunteers plus sponsors and auction prize donors, but it\u2019s worth it, said Jacks, a retired wealth adviser who grew up playing the drums.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very gratifying,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re all going to sleep well (afterward).\u201d<\/p>\n
Visit winnstock.org for ticket details.<\/p>\n
aaron.epp@winnipegfreepress.com<\/p>\n
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Aaron Epp Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. Read more about Aaron<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Aaron produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Reporter
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