Despite the U.S. financial crisis that's hitting global markets hard, the 13th annual AIDSbeat benefit—held last Friday at the Kool Haus—managed to draw the largest number of people in its history, and grossed more than $260,000, a record. "We were quite concerned that we might lose some sponsors because we had lined everybody up just before the market crash," said Patricia Olasker, the event's founder and co-chair. "But everybody hung in there with us, so we're very pleased."
The AIDSbeat fund-raiser is a battle of the bands event for the legal community that raises money for the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (Canfar). After reaching full capacity at Capitol Music Hall for several years, the event moved to the significantly larger Kool Haus, which Olaskar said allowed the guest list to grow from 1,200 to 1,500. It also meant the addition of decor to a typically no-frills event.
Michael Taggart, a Seneca College student in the event management program, volunteered to decorate the event after hearing about it through a former Canfar employee. He used in-kind rentals provided by Designing Trendz to create atmosphere in the large, raw space and built four dance cages using PVC pipe and wooden planks, which he "begged and pleaded" a Home Depot store to donate. "The organizers told me they wanted something more risky, so I decided to do a Rocky Horror theme that was really sexy and sleek," Taggart said. The event's budget was between $15,000 and $17,000—the goal was to spend 9 cents for every $1 of revenue, according to Olasker.
The four competing bands—Hung Jury, Disorderly Conduct, the Insecurities, and Nunk Pro Funk—were chosen from audition tape submissions. As they took to the stage, the newly opened lingerie shop Almost Naked brought out models to pose in a fashion vignette in a corner of the room, replacing the larger runway show featured in years past. Mississauga-based performance art curator Suzanne Carte-Blanchenot coordinated burlesque dance performances for the sponsor reception, where guests received a flashing red neck tag to indicate their V.I.P. status.
A judging panel that included Miss Universe Canada 2008 Samantha Tajik and CFL all-star Damon Allen chose the Insecurities as the winning band. Aside from ticket sales, the event raised money through raffle tickets, the sale of white boas, and jars at the judging table where guests could drop loonies and toonies to vote for the People's Choice Award, which went to Disorderly Conduct.