Yorkraine benefit concert for Ukraine has it covered when it comes to York bands

The poster artwork for Yorkraine, Ian Surgenor’s benefit concert for Ukraine

THE Yorkraine benefit concert for Ukraine brings together York cover bands The Supermodels, The Mothers, The Y Street Band and Sister Madly on May 24.

Acoustic sets from Alex Victoria and fellow York singer-songwriter Mal Fry and contributions from guest speakers complete the “totally York” 7.30pm bill at the Grand Opera House, York.

The evening of pop and rock classics from the past six decades will raise funds for the British Red Cross DEC appeal to aid Ukrainian refugees who find themselves in dire circumstances. All artists, hosts, sound tech and crew have donated their time free of charge.

Concert organiser Ian Surgenor says: “I’m a taxi driver by trade, and when I was working at night, there was a newsflash that Russia had invaded Ukraine. I was mortified, and then, like 99 per cent of the British population, I just felt helpless.

The Supermodels

“The only thing I thought I could do was to arrange a concert for the DEC appeal. I’ve always held York Rocks Against Cancer concerts at the Grand Opera House, so I got in touch.

“The manager, Alice [Long], went out of her way to find us a spot, squeezing us in for May 24, and we’re delighted to be doing the show there as the acoustics are great.”

Explaining the choice of musicians for the night, Ian says: “Cover bands have a broad appeal, and I have a really good relationship with most of them in York, just from doing events and seeing gigs.

“There’s a mutual respect, so I approached Dave Sykes, from The Supermodels, who did the first York Rocks; I knew Rob Wilson, from The Mothers, and I’ve done shows with The Y Street Band.”

Sister Madly happen to be Ian’s own band, also featuring two stalwarts of the York musical theatre scene, Jo Theaker, last seen in York Stage’s Calendar Girls at the Grand Opera House, and Ian’s wife, Marie-Louise Surgenor, from Rowntree Players.  

Sister Madly, featuring Ian Surgenor, Jo Theaker and Marie-Louise Surgenor

Ian was keen to include acoustic acts too. “I’d seen other venues putting on acoustic singers on such nights,” he says.

“In fact, I provided the sound for the acoustic lounge when Big Ian Donaghy held a fundraiser for the Ukraine emergency appeal at York Sports Club in March, with Huge playing in the main room, and Dan Webster, Emily Lawler, Rich Hardcastle, To The Blue and a young lady called Alex Victoria in the lounge.

“I was blown away by her. ‘What a voice this girl has,’ I thought, and I wondered if she’d like to do the Yorkraine gig. She said she’d be honoured!”

In attendance too will be a civic party led by Andrew Digwood, Undersheriff of the City of York, while a speaker from the British Red Cross will explain “what will happen to the money and what it’s like on the front”.

The Mothers

“We’ll also be welcoming a Ukrainian gentleman, Dimitri, who works for the Studio Cloud Nine fitness company. He drove to Poland to bring a family here, but couldn’t get them into the country, so they ended up going to Portugal, where the children were placed in a school within two days. Amazing what can be done, isn’t it?”

Look out too for a guest appearance by York vocal drag diva supreme Velma Celli, alias York’s West End musical theatre actor Ian Stroughair. “Ian approached me and said he thought what we were doing was amazing and asked how he could help,” says organiser Ian, who duly slotted Velma into the bill.

Surgenor has secured sponsorship from four sources: Nestlé, Vincent & Brown, Ainsty Ales and Fenton Simpson Financial Services. “They’ve covered the costs totally for hiring the theatre, projection, and so every ticket sold, every penny raised on the night from a collection, all the money will go the DEC appeal.”

The last mention goes to Simon Hudson, who is providing the sound and lighting…for free, of course.

Yorkraine, Ukraine Benefit Concert, Grand Opera House, York, May 24, 7.30pm. Box office: 0844 871 7615 or at atgtickets.com/York.

Velma Celli: New addition to the Yorkraine bill

Heather Findlay and Dave Kerzner reunite Mantra Vega for Ukraine humanitarian aid song We See You on Bandcamp Friday

Howard Rankin’s artwork for We See You, Mantra Vega’s fundraising release on Bandcamp for the DEC Ukraine Appeal

MANTRA Vega, the transatlantic band co-founded by York singer-songwriter Heather Findlay and Sound Of Contact’s Dave Kerzner, are releasing a song on Bandcamp tomorrow to raise funds for humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

Heather, formerly of Mostly Autumn, now one half of Odin Dragonfly and a solo artiste, reunited with Dave to write and record We See You.

Mantra Vega’s recording features Findlay on lead vocals; Kerzner on keyboards and vocals; Dave Kilminster, from Rogers Waters, Steve Wilson and Keith Emerson’s bands, on lead guitar;  Chris Johnson, from Mostly Autumn and Halo Blind, on rhythm electric guitar; Stuart Fletcher on bass and Alex Cromarty, ex-Mostly Autumn, on drums.

The Mantra Vega line-up put together by Heather Findlay and Dave Kerzner, second from left, to record We See You

In addition, Mantra Vega have made a Global Sing-Along Mix of We See You, where “anyone in the world can sing the verses in their own language or with the wordless anthemic chorus”.

Kerzner says: “Heather came to me with this great idea of reuniting Mantra Vega to do a song for this global concern regarding the war in the Ukraine. I’m proud to have taken part in it.

“As well as raising funds to help the people of the Ukraine, we also wanted to send love and support to all who are suffering from this crisis through the universal language of music.”

Reunited: Mantra Vega’s Dave Kerzner and Heather Findlay

We See You will be available exclusively from Bandcamp from midnight tomorrow (May 6) for a limited time, launching on Bandcamp Friday, a monthly event when the ten per cent revenue share that Bandcamp usually takes is waived. In this instance, that means more funds can be donated to Ukrainian aid.

In an incentive to help spread the love, Mantra Vega invite fans to share Howard Rankin’s artwork from that midnight launch onwards, either as their profile picture or as a social media post, accompanied by the download links, encouraging their friends to head over to Bandcamp to buy the single.

All proceeds will be donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Appeal.

York Musical Theatre Company to hold humanitarian fundraising concert for Ukraine at Our Lady’s Church

The poster artwork for A Concert For Ukraine

YORK Musical Theatre Company and Friends will come together to raise money for the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal at A Concert For Ukraine on April 30.

The 7pm musical evening of songs from the shows past and present will be held at Our Lady’s Church, Cornlands Road, Acomb, York, where singers from assorted York musical theatre companies will perform selections from Les Miserables, The Phantom Of The Opera, Jekyll & Hyde The Musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street and Godspell.

Tickets (£5 minimum) can be reserved on 07806 487695 or bought on the door. “If musical theatre isn’t your thing, or you’re unable to attend, please give a small donation to justgiving.com/fundraising/Concert4Ukraine,” says organiser Sophie Houghton Brown.

John Atkin, of York Musical Theatre Company, says: “YMTC Choir members decided to do this concert after their performance at the York Community Choir Festival 2022 at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre.

“The choir will be singing the songs they performed at the festival alongside numbers for their upcoming production of Jekyll & Hyde The Musical.  

“We’re delighted that well-known York performers, who have worked with York Opera, Black Sheep Theatre, Joseph Rowntree Company, Bev Jones Musical Company, Pick Me Up Theatre and White Rose Theatre, will be joining us as guests.” 

Concert proceeds and donations to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal will help DEC charities to provide food, water, shelter and healthcare to refugees and displaced families. To find out more about their work, visit www.actionaid.org.uk. Donations will be sent directly to ActionAid in a fast and secure way.