The Beasts of Burden have established a new, annual Park music festival. The “Beats of Burden” will take place late in the Summer and all proceeds from the concert will be put toward the support of The Park’s refugees
What a difference a letter makes!
Despite having decided months before that their comeback would include an annual charity concert in aid of The Park’s refugees, the Beasts of Burden found themselves putting off an official announcement. Stopped dead in their tracks by their inability to find an appropriate name for the event, they even considered shelving the project, worthy though they thought it was.
“I understood the problem, but I couldn’t help. They didn’t just want to put their name on it and call it ‘The Annual Beasts of Burden Charity Concert.’ They wanted the name to have more meaning than that,” said the band’s manager, Ignatius Herder.
“So, we had a meeting at The Draft (the band’s pub) to strategize. Alfredo (Ox, the band’s lead singer) started filling out some forms that we needed and then Haimo (Maultier) noticed he’d left a letter out of the word ‘Beasts,’ so it read, ‘Beats of Burden.’ We all laughed, then we looked at each other and we knew we were all thinking the same thing.”
And that is how the annual “Beats of Burden” Music Festival was born.
“It was pure genius and one hundred per cent serendipitous,” laughs Ox. “If I’d been more careful, we’d still be sitting there planning, instead of announcing the biggest charity music festival ever in The Park.”
With almost every Park band and singer signed on to the event, the new festival promises to be something truly out of the ordinary.
“A concert can only do so much, but a festival, with all sorts of different music and events and other things tied in…we can really make a difference to the lives of The Park’s refugees,” says an excited Ox.
The festival, which is scheduled to begin at sunrise on September 14 will go on for three days, with the music expected to last late into each night.
“The way I see it, they’re [the audience] going to have to ask us to go home. We’re not going to want to stop playing. Nobody is,” says Maultier.
Just the facts
What: The Beats of Burden Music Festival
When: Every year from now on; September 14-16 inclusive, sunrise to whenever
Where: At venues across The Park; expect more details in the coming weeks
Why: To raise funds in aid of The Park’s refugees
Who: Almost all Park bands and singers; expect some “surprises” as well
