Neighbourhood Watch lead three-city music event in support of the NB SPCA organizations.
Andrea Di Ruscio Lewis
One night at the Panic Room in Saint John, Jason Golding, co-owner of the Panic room, was chatting with Ciaron Lewis of Neighbourhood Watch, about the success of the night’s event. It had been a fundraiser for local food banks, spearheaded by Neighbourhood Watch, a New Brunswick punk band whose roots go back over 30 years. The band had just recently reunited and decided that this go-around, they could help out the community a bit too. As Ciaron and Jason recognized the success of the food bank event, the next logical step immediately came to both of them – a benefit for animal welfare. The idea would expand into Fredericton and Moncton as well.
Ciaron is a long-time animal advocate, founding Save Ontario Dogs prior to moving back to Fredericton two years ago. The organization fights Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) in Ontario, which is a law that wrongly targets dogs, such as American Pit bull Terriers or Staffordshire Terriers. Ciaron also co-founded a shelter for dogs in Playa del Carmen, Mexico over fifteen years ago, and has been involved in various other aspects of rescue and animal advocacy for over 20 years. Still committed to animal rescue, Ciaron wanted to do something that incorporated music as well. Jason was already thinking the same way, and the rest of Neighbourhood Watch – Grant Forsythe, JR Bennett, and Matt Eaton – loved the idea.
They approached the NBSPCA and local SPCAs, and then reached out to other bands. It didn’t take long to get everyone on board. In fact, response was tremendous, and all three venues were quickly booked with, hands-down, some of the best acts from the province’s punk community.
All proceeds from each city are split equally between the NBSPCA and the city’s local SPCA. Donations are also accepted at the door. The Fredericton event will raise additional funds through a draw, thanks to a generous donation from Valley Veterinary Hospital in Lincoln.
For more information, visit Neighbourhood Watch on Facebook.
Punks for Paws (Neighbourhood Watch, The Adhesives, City Bus Handjobs, Cable Crusher) | April 15, 2017 | Claude’s House | Moncton | 9 p.m. | View Event
Punks for Paws (KillDevils, The Viral, Neighbourhood Watch, Green Lung Grinders) | April 22, 2017 | The Panic Room | Saint John | 9 p.m. | View Event
Punks for Paws | (Scumlord, Green Lung Grinders, Neighbourhood Watch, Molly Bee and Friends) | April 27, 2017 | The Capital Complex | Fredericton | 8 p.m. | View Event
