White Rock-based rocker spearheads music-therapy benefit (with video)

WHITE ROCK — A locally-based band is squaring up to play a for-charity show Friday (Oct. 10) that will benefit Camp Kerry, a Vancouver-based organization that offers support to families with young children who are grieving the loss of a loved one.

The non-profit provides music therapy services to those using the program.

Jovan Vujatovic, a White Rock-raised drummer from Vancouver rock band Damn Fools, got involved when kids from the program were invited for a day of music making and recording at Vancouver’s Nimbus recording studio.

That’s when his band Damn Fools, one of the top-12 acts in this year’s Peak Performance Project band contest, decided to do a little more for the non-profit.

“Getting together with Camp Kerry, it just seemed to click,” said Vujatovic, who’s spearheading the “Guitars, Cars and Movie Stars” benefit show Friday (Oct. 10) at Vancouver’s Sin Bin.

“Our guitar player, he was colleagues with one of the music therapists and he told us about the event and the organization and it just hit home because they’re all musicians.”

There will also be a silent auction and a raffle for a trip for two to Las Vegas. The “Guitars, Cars and Movie Stars” aspect? Well, that’s where Vujatovic, who works in the film industry, got to pull a few strings.

The guitars are obvious; Vujatovic’s band, Damn Fools, will be headlining the event. The cars? Well, that’s where famed wheels General Lee of Dukes of Hazzard, Kitt from Knight Rider and The A-Team van will make an appearance. And the movie stars? Rumour has it the cast of Vancouver-based police drama, Motive, will be among the audience.

The silent auction items a paid to be an extra on an episode of Motive and more, Vujatovic said.

So why is Vujatovic, along with the rest of Damn Fools, so eager to put together the show this weekend?

“It just gives you goosebumps to think about these kids, how unfortunate it is that they’ve lost their families and the ability to help them with music is great because that’s what we do,” said the longtime musician.

“Instead of looking for that gig, or stardom for ourselves and a paycheque, how can we use our talents to help somebody else?”

If his “Guitars, Cars and Movie Stars” benefit is a success, Vujatovic said he’ll be even more amped-up to do it again in the future.

“We had a day with (the kids from Camp Kerry) where we recorded one of their songs, and the organizers of the camp and some of the students. It was just non-stop coming back to us with thanks and saying this was probably one of the best musical days that they’ve ever had with the camp,” he said.

“That means everything; you cant put a price on that.You could say I’ve been bitten by the bug now, and I want to make this an annual thing for them.”

The event begins at 7 p.m. at Vancouver’s Sin Bin (295 2^nd Ave. W).

Damn Fools will also be playing their Peak Performance Project showcase on Thursday, Oct. 16 at Fortune Sound Club.

Tickets for the benefit are available online at Eventbrite.com and at the door, $20 per person.