<![CDATA[Strummerfest - STRUMMER-TALK]]>Fri, 15 Aug 2025 02:05:19 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Introduce us...]]>Tue, 11 Mar 2014 07:19:45 GMThttps://www.strummerfest.ca/strummer-talk/introduce-usLet your friends, family and employers know how they can support Strummerfest.

Visit our Sponsorship page.

Share this five-and-half minute video.

]]><![CDATA[Strummerfest: Toronto Calling]]>Fri, 21 Feb 2014 07:14:32 GMThttps://www.strummerfest.ca/strummer-talk/strummerfest-toronto-callingYeah, that's what we're going to call it.  If it's a little cheesy, we're hoping you'll still like it.


Here's what we take to 'Hogtown' with us, from our humble beginnings in Old Berlin (Kitchener):


  • We're still about supporting local indie music.  We'll be looking to local venues and local bands to fill out part of the festival program.  We hope to make it fun and eclectic ~ a real tribute to the varied styles and sensibilities that Joe embraced in his music.

  • And, yes, we're still about Joe Strummer.  In fact, that's why we're setting the date close to his birthday (by contrast with the Kitchener event that falls close to the date of his death).  We're also looking to set up main stage events that are representative of both the era in which he emerged, and the ideas that he espoused.  That is, we're hoping both "New Wave" and punk ethics will dominate the show.

  • And, or course, we remain true to our charitable intentions.  Funds raised will still support suicide prevention work, particularly by Your Life Counts.  



These are the things we hope will never change about Strummerfest: eclectic, home-grown music; the long shadow of Joe; and the intention of helping others.  Anything else just wouldn't be Strummerfest, now, would it?]]><![CDATA[What's the point?]]>Mon, 03 Feb 2014 16:25:07 GMThttps://www.strummerfest.ca/strummer-talk/whats-the-pointWe talk, write and post about music.  You “like” #Strummerfest because we like Strummer, indie bands, punk rock and the ‘80’s.  Meanwhile, the real need is mostly ignored.  A youth, a young high school student, a girl who also loved music, died this weekend by suicide.  One more victim who won’t be coming back, won’t be at the clubs or the record stores, won’t be ‘round the dinner table with her family.  One more younger sister abandoned.  One more mother and father agonized by unspeakable grief. 

When you “like” Strummerfest, are you doing more than saying “way to go” or “this is fun”?  Probably not; but we need you to.

Strummerfest does not just want to be about the music.  It never did.  Our slogan is, “Music, Memory, Charity.”  This spells out our priorities in order from lowest to highest. 

The charity we seek to express and support is prevention of suicide.  Why?  Because nothing is more contrary to the idea of life’s inherent value; and nothing is more terminally undermining of the optimistic hope and faith in humanity that Strummer valued and sought to express in his music.   We really believe life matters.  We really believe that suicide is an awful tragedy that needs to be stopped.  We really mourn over every life lost, so needlessly wasted, and wish that we could have helped her find the answers she needed to hang on, because, as those of us who’ve been through depression, frustration and fear know, things will get better if you can hang on.

And that’s why we ask for your help.  We want to make the biggest splash, and get the most attention to this awful tragedy that we can.  We want to help those in the trenches – the counsellors and former victims who are working hard to help others in their most dark and difficult times.  We want to send a message loud and clear that life matters; and, more importantly, that Your. Life. Matters.

So what’s a meagre $15 or $20 donation in the face of this?  Is it too much to ask to help save a life? Most of us will waste more than that on coffee or candy bars in a given couple of months.  We are asking for it once this year, so that more young people like the sad victim of this weekend’s suicide can be helped and stopped before they make that tragic decision.

This is something else Joe always sang about.  The power to make things different:  it’s in your hands.  Please help Strummerfest move its charitable agenda forward.  Help us make the loud noise, attract the attention, and instigate real change by promoting real hope.  Please.  Thank you.

Click here to go to our 50-day 'Grass Roots' fund-raising campaign.

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