Party core band These Kids Wear Crowns have a huge and loyal following in the ‘Wack.
Four of six band members were raised in Chilliwack, and still live here, so they have built up a solid little fan base here.
So it just made sense to come home to put on a local seasonal show at the Cultural Centre on Dec. 28 to benefit their favourite charity, BC Children’s Hospital.
There will definitely be teenage girls screaming.
Last time they held a charity concert, it sold out.
It doesn’t hurt that they have forged a strong connection to Mt. Slesse middle school leadership program, and that’s how this second fundraiser got organized.
It was through TKWC singer Alex Johnson, a former Mt. Slesse student, and the band was proud to help out with a benefit concert in honour of Sardis secondary student Mac Shand last spring.
“That’s when we found out about the awesome work they do for sick kids at Children’s Hospital,” says Matt Vink, who plays keyboards and sings vocals for TKWC.
The last time they held a BBQ-by-donation beforehand, and raised a whopping $7,600 for Children’s, along with the part proceeds from the concert.
“It was a really good success overall,” says Vink.
Now they want to do it again.
“Hopefully we can repeat that, this time during the Christmas season.”
It’s nice to check in with Chilliwack’s hottest young band.
The band has had a good year, he reports.
They’ve been to Australia twice, and their single, Jumpstart, went double platinum there.
“It’s weird that’s been where we’ve done the best,” says Vink. “Better than Canada even. Sometimes it’s about finding the right radio station that plays your tunes.”
The band has been working hard to get their next single out. They were busy recording parts of the album and ironing out record label issues the past few months, and generally getting sorted.
But the new TKWC recording is on its way.
“We wanted to make sure we didn’t fall off the map,” says Vink. “We had been hoping to get a new album out by the end of the year.”
But in the meantime they’ll happily play their own hometown.
They even have a Christmas single to roll out, You’re My Mrs. Claus.
“It just got posted yesterday on Youtube.”
“I actually love it,” Vink says. “It’s a fun song and I like the video too. It’s a lyric video so it’s got the words on-screen.”
The holiday tunes, including another new one, Red, White and You, will be part of a special Christmas interlude at the end of their set.
The Chilliwack gig is something they’re looking forward to.
“All of our friends and families can come watch. We’ve played in Toronto ten times. It’s nice to put on a hometown show.”
They’ll be on-hand before the show, for Warm Up Winter BBQ outside the Cultural Centre manning the barbecue grill and meeting fans who’ll be lining up for hot cocoa, and hot dogs by donation.
These Kids Wear Crowns, Dec. 28 with special guests Rags To Radio and Cruel Young Heart at the Cultural Centre at 7 p.m. Doors at 6 p.m. Show up early for the Warm Up Winter BBQ-by-donation at 5 p.m. and grab some hot cocoa, hot dogs. Bring a canned food item or present for Children’s patients. Tickets $20 at the box office or 604-391-SHOW (7469).
