The Mission Powerhouse Gogos are jamming – literally.
On October 8 at 7 p.m. the doors at The Stage in Mission will open and the GoGos will be selling homemade jam and serving up a loving spoonful of roots, Zydeco and blues donated by Swamp City, in their quest to raise funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers Campaign.
The Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign is working to stem the tide of AIDS in Africa by supporting grandmothers who are raising grandchildren as a result of this disease.
Canadians have raised an astonishing $19.5 million for African grandmothers. Resources from the Campaign are invested directly at community level, with grassroots organizations that provide grandmothers and the children in their care with supports that include food, educational supplies, uniforms and school fees, medical care, HIV counselling and testing, adequate housing and bedding, counselling and much more.
The Mission Powerhouse Gogos, co-chaired this year by Elspeth Bowers and Kat Wahamaa, are one of many local chapters of Gogos across Canada doing this work.
Swamp City, fronted by Wahamaa and Tony Rees, are lending their music to this important cause. Kat and Tony form half of the well-loved local quartet Back Door Slam and individually have been involved in many other social action projects.
Swamp City’s uplifting, high energy sound is rounded out by Randy Schultz (Mojo Zydeco) on guitar, bassist Mickey Hovan (Wheat in the Barley) and Joe Backus (Token Rhyme) on drums. Schultz, a master craftsman, hand built the accordion, license plate guitar and washtub bass featured in performances and Wahamaa gets to use her percussion skills on some tunes with a Louisiana rubboard.
Powerhouse Gogos Homemade Jam takes place Thursday, October 8, at The Stage, 32998 1st Avenue, Mission, from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $20 and available at Earthtacular, 33128 1st Avenue in Mission. For more information email missiongogos@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/MissionPowerhouseGogos.
