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18.07.03 - Help needed for sLc.
From Elliot & the Sounds Like Chicken crew.
I've never really done anything like this before, so I don't really know what to say!
I'll start with a short intro about our band 'Sounds Like Chicken'. Hailing from Melbourne and forming over 3 years ago, sLc play a unique blend of ska, hardcore and rock to create a sound of their own. Over the past 3 years the band has grown into one of the most frequently gigging Christian acts in Australia, and one of the most frequently gigging bands in Victoria across any scene. The latest EP 'I Am Gibbon, Hear Me Roar' has nearly sold its 1000th copy and is getting national airplay on JJJ, with presenters Adam and Will recently calling sLc 'one of the best up and coming acts around'. sLc have built a strong Christian following across the country with appearances at Blackstump 2001, 2002 (and 2003), AGMF 2002 and 2003, Sonfest 2002 (melb) and 2003 (bris), Forest Edge 2002 and 2003. The band is featuring at the Youth Alive Big Event at Rod Laver arena in August and is soon to be confirmed as a headline act for Saltbush 2003 in Perth, Alongside this, we also have a very strong secular support base in Victoria, and this is where we see our ministry making its greatest impact. We feel we have something very special as a band because we are already very strongly respected in the secular punk scene (crusty punk, not pop punk), one of the most difficult scenes to crack into as a Christian band. This has already presented us with opportunities like playing in an ex-bondage brothel, playing to a full room of rowdy drunken crusty punks in Brisbane and playing to packed out all ages crowds in dilapidated fire hazard buildings. We have been able to use our position as a platform to counsell and guide many depressed or confused teenagers (both Christian and non-Christian).
We have always made it our vision to travel all over Australia, and head interstate as often as we can, which has already lead us to Brisbane, Toowoomba, Sydney, Canberra, Wodonga, Dubbo and Adelaide amongst other places. The problem is that as we are a 6 piece band, we can't even fit in one car, which makes touring quite hard! Flying interstate is out of the question at the moment as you imagine how ridiculously high return airfares for 6 people would be. Nearly a year ago I loaned the band some money to purchase a beaten up old Mitsubishi L300 van, which has done us well. The problem is that now, it is on its last legs and recently broke down on the way home from a gig. A working van is very important, as without one we would need to take two cars plus the trailer to every show (expensive when you consider we are about to undertake a regional tour with Rhinosaur including most areas of Victoria!).
As a band we would love to be able to take out a loan and purchase a newer 12 seater bus (to allow us to sell our trailer and take a road crew to help us out), one that is a lot more mechanically healthy and that we can trust with our lives and gear on the roads! Unfortunately, the band purchasing a vehicle is totally economically unfeasible due to the high costs of running the band. This financial year just passed, the band had over $20,000 in expenses, added with the unmeasurable amounts that we put in as individuals. We have asked friends and fans to undertake fundraising efforts to help us out but we will need anywhere between $10,000 and $20,000 in total to purchase a van strong enough and safe enough for our needs, which will last for the duration of the bands ministry. Once the band ceases (hopefully not for many years!), we will sell the van and distribute the proceeds back into a carefully chosen Christian charity, or perhaps pass the van onto another band in a similar situation as we are now! As a band we have prayed extensively about this issue and we feel we are being lead to ask people outside of the band to make donations to help us carry out our ministry. Anything will help, even if its just a very small amount, it all adds up and will help us out incredibly!
If you wish to seek out more information about how you can help please feel free to contact us either via email or myself on 0418 396 578 at any time.
God has already taken us to great levels and we really feel that the band is set to have an amazing future that none of us can predict! This is only a small hurdle and we have faith that we will be able to get over it as soon as possible!
Thanks for your time and God Bless. |
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