The I.R.O.M.A. Warm for the Winter Food and Clothing Drive-

On 12/19/09 I had the distinct pleasure of managing and running sound for a charity event that was dreamed up by the leadership of IROMA. The following is a brief “gig report” from that afternoon:

On a snowy Saturday in late December of 2009 the Iron Range Original Music Association produced the 1st annual Warm for the Winter Food and Clothing Drive. Graciously hosted by Barb at Bonsai Tea in Eveleth MN, the event was staged both to showcase the talents of a number of local solo acoustic performers and to raise donations for some of the less fortunate folks in the area. IROMA is a nonprofit organization founded by a group of musicians in Northeastern Minnesota for the purpose of promoting and publicizing the creation and performance of original music, and the members involved in the fundraiser were all very excited about the opportunity to perform their songs for the benefit of others.

The show began at 1:00 p.m. when Mike Drianis took the stage. An experienced solo performer, Mike recently wrote, recorded, and released a CD of original tunes. Having moved to Virginia MN from California, his music reflects that journey and clearly draws from a broad variety of influences. His songs covered a wide range of topics from the pitfalls of materialism to the complications of romatic relatioships and many points in between. He played a crowd-pleasing set while showing some impressive chops on the guitar and got the event off to a great start.

The next performer on the bill was Mark Henderson. Bringing to bear the confidence, technique, and expertise that come from 50 years of playing the guitar, he moved flawlessly through his set while exhibiting a genuine ease of performance that instantly won the room. He favored the audience with several amusing anecdotes with topics ranging from his childhood in the South to his family to his tenure as front man for the Mojosaurs Blues Band, and he ended his part of the show by playing a few numbers of growling slide on his resonator guitar.

Due to an unfortunate conflict, there was a last minute change in the line-up, but thankfully Jesse Richter was there to save the day both by showing up early and by extending his set by a couple numbers. Jesse has been writing original music and playing out for several years now, and he has arrived at a point in his career where his act is highly polished yet very natural. Through his carefully-crafted songs he treated the audience to a candid peak into a lifetime of experiences in Minnesota with the occasional tasteful addition of a harmonica accompaniment. He left the stage warmly received by those in attendance.

Tim Baldonado was the last performer to take the stage at what had already been a great show. In musical terms Tim has always been a drummer by trade, but as of late he has been sliding into the role of the singer / songwriter. Some of his songs harkened back to the protest songs of the 60ies or even the old labor anthems from the 1st half of the 20th century, and his inspired lyrics and enthusiastic playing instantly struck a chord with the crowd. After Tim finished his very entertaining set, there was still nearly half an hour left in the show, and pianist Geri Burja stepped in and let fly a flurry of traditional Christmas carols thereby bringing the afternoon to a decidedly festive close.

Despite the fact that at the end of the performance the roof over Bonsai Tea was still fully intact, the show was still well attended and generally regarded as huge success. Donations in the form of some cash and a decent amount of nonperishable food items were raised, several IROMA sampler CDs were distributed to the public, and the groundwork for future IROMA charity events was laid. IROMA sends a sincere “Thank You!” to Bonsai Tea, Hometown Focus, and Suzy Archebald at Range Print Shop in Eveleth for their parts in helping to stage this event. The first Warm for the Winter Food and Clothing drive was just the beginning, and IROMA is now committed to growing and improving upon what they hope will become a popular annual event. Be sure to check their website for a calendar of exciting upcoming shows, and thank YOU for continuing to support the vibrant local music scene here in Northeastern Minnesota!

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Bonsai Tea is located on Grant Ave. in downtown Eveleth MN and is open daily. They host an open mic show for local performers from noon to 4 p.m. every 1st and 3rd Saturday, and if you’re looking for an audience for some new material, just give Barb a call – she’d be happy to have you on her stage anytime.