Pender Island is still vibrating in the aftermath of a “pop-up” concert with local youth band The Dip and indie rock “jizz-jazz” star Mac DeMarco that raised $46,000 for Doctors Without Borders (DWB) on Aug. 24.
When Jo Beattie from The Crisp festival group and others wanted to hold a DWB benefit concert, she decided to ask DeMarco, who now lives on the island, if he would perform. Not only did he say yes but he asked some talented young musicians to open for him, having heard them play at a celebration marking the end of a major South Pender road reconstruction project noted for its “Dip” warning signs.
“Darcie and Alan Whittingham immediately offered their Camp Cowbell as the perfect outdoor venue, and Lisa Fleming of Ptarmigan Arts jumped in managing donations and providing some of the sound equipment,” said Beattie.
Her husband Greg organized the production, and she and Ripley Stafford got the word out through social media. Many others stepped up to fill key roles.
Beattie and her crew were blown away by the response, with an estimated 1,000 mostly younger-aged music fans showing up.
Concert tickets and donations brought in $23,000, with DeMarco matching that amount to reach the $46,000 total.
Vancouver DWB representative Georgia Keefe also spoke to the crowd about her organization.
Ben McConchie, a School District 64 music teacher who has taught The Dip members, was the event’s emcee.
“I was stoked seeing my students up there, you know, after years of bouncing around in a boat [travelling to teach kids on the different islands], finally seeing that all pay off, I was just like ‘sweet!’ It felt good.”
Salt Spring drummer Alessandro Perez also performed with The Dip, who not only opened the show but got to play with DeMarco and his band for one song.
It turns out that The Dip keyboard player Waylon Lapp is a huge DeMarco fan. As his dad and renowned musician Daniel Lapp posted on his Instagram account: “Mac probably doesn’t realize that Waylon, who has been recognized as Mac’s #1 fan on Spotify, probably knows his music better than anyone in the world! Mac’s generous spirit and gracious support of ‘The Dip’ changed lives in this moment . . . what a rock star! I’m now his second biggest fan.”
“It was really, really special,” said McConchie. “And it’s a huge boost to the Gulf Island music scene having a high-profile person like DeMarco chilling and living here.”
DeMarco, who has now begun a major fall concert tour of U.S. and Canadian cities, said he was pleased with how it turned out.
“I’m so happy the show formulated in the way it did,” he said by email. “So much help from tons of awesome people, all for a good cause. It really felt like the perfect way to cap off a summer on Pender. Hopefully we can make a tradition of it. Long live The Dip.”
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On behalf of The Crisp, Jo and Greg Beattie wish to thank everyone involved, with a special shout-out to Mac DeMarco, his band, Darcie and Alan Whittingham, Todd and Deb Bulled, Lisa Fleming and Kate Biddell of Ptarmigan Arts, and the other volunteers who made it all possible, especially emcee Ben McConchie, Ian Pirie and his security crew, Janet Fletcher, Art Van Vliet and their parking crew, Chris McKenzie and Sarah Rae for helping with our videographer Joel, The Dip and all their friends! Thanks to the RCMP, Fire and Ambulance Services for their support! Special thanks also to Barb Grimmer, Karl Hampson and photographers Rose Da Silva and Kenta Kikuchi!