Even as first-time Thoughts For Food participants, Mohr Ave. is certain the tomatoes, carrots and peas will arrive in non-perishable can form and not as a hurled reaction to their performance on stage.

A staple of Racine's music scene that meshes the willingness of people to donate time, money and food, Thoughts For Food started as a single-venue event in 1993. Since then it has grown in size and importance, raising thousands of dollars and thousands of pounds of food every year.

For local bands like Shameless Place, Radioactive Squirrels and 89 Mojo, the chance to play the 16th annual event remains as exciting as playing it in the past.

"I love giving my time to such an awesome event that helps those who really need it by supplying food to local families," Shameless Place drummer Zaim Aslani said. "It's so nice to see the musical community bond together for such a great night of music and charity."

This year's event takes place Saturday, with nine venues scheduled to host four bands each, starting at 7 p.m. A $10 ticket bought before Saturday also gains access to Friday night's kickoff event at the Eagles Club. The donation of canned goods with your $10 ($15 the day of the event) aren't mandatory, but appreciated said Executive Director of the Racine County Food Bank Dan Taivalkoski

First timers

The members of Mohr Ave. are working hard to put themselves on the Racine music map. Having formed less than a year ago, the band started playing together soon after old friends and guitarists Miguel Villarreal and Andy Borth found they both still enjoyed playing live.

The former McKinley Middle School (located on Mohr Avenue) students were soon joined by Josh Edwards (son of local legend Roy Edwards) on drums and Charlie Bussian on bass and vocals.

"We practiced for a month and we played our first show in my back yard for my birthday (June 29) in front of like 65 people, and we had a bouncy castle and all that stuff," said Villarreal, who is a graphic designer for The Journal Times.

"It was my 25th so we had to rock out really hard. And then we played a battle at the Rave; that was like our first real show."

Since that first back yard show, Mohr Ave. has put on 10 performances and added a fifth member to their group, bassist Ryan Neff. Using his computer, Villarreal typically begins the band's creative process by composing a guitar riff or baseline for the others to hear. They then play "Dr. Frankenstein" with the components they will be responsible for and Bussian (now lead vocalist only) writes all of the lyrics.

In all, the group has about a dozen songs they will play live, with another 10 or so they are currently refining.

Sandwiched between the Elusive Parallelograms and Killing Dick Phefer in the 8:30 p.m. slot at Michigan's Pub, Mohr Ave. will be a part of the opening acts for headliner The Andes, a band they personally admire.

"It's hard to book us with certain groups because there's not a lot of bands in Racine, in the local area that fit our little niche," Borth, 25, said.

Maybe best described as a foot thumping, sometimes head thrashing, electric, smooth, poppy rock band, Mohr Ave. blends an array of talent and taste with meaningful vocals and a desire to never be dated.

"Somebody said it's kind of reminiscent of alternative 90s with more of a modern twist to it," Villarreal said. The best descriptor may be this: If the band were on the radio, their songs would be heard on FM 102.1 in Milwaukee.

Making a record

Currently trying to record a demo CD their music in a friend's home studio, the band has seven drum tracks completed and are looking to finish an album with a handful of songs on it for distribution at their shows.

"We're trying to make a good three-song demo, to send to as many labels as we can," Villarreal said while discussing the band's hopes of getting signed.

Although making it big is a shared dream, the members of the band seem content to get together in the cold, dingy basement of Grandma B's (Villarreal's girlfriend's grandmother, who is spends her winters in Florida) and rock out for a few hours a week.

"The guys in the band; I just kind of meshed well with, we all really mesh well, I'd say we're all really good friends … there's nothing I wouldn't do for these guys," Borth said.

After their show at Michigan's, Mohr Ave. is scheduled to perform March 14 at Shank Hall in Milwaukee and April 11 at the Pub on Wisconsin.

Of course, Mohr Ave. isn't the only group with something new to offer the Thoughts for Food crowds.

"I believe this is our fourth year in a row for TFF, and fifth overall," said 89 Mojo guitarist Grant June. "We had heard about it for a couple years, and then we had an opportunity to play it, and had an absolute blast. It's amazing how many people come out and support it."

The group has some new music for fans.

"We just put out a new live recording a few months ago, and shortly after that we took a little time off to get some new material worked in," June said. "Between the two, it's really fired us up and we can't wait to start playing regularly again."

Scheduled for the 8:30 p.m. slot at Coasters, 89 Mojo will be part of the opening acts for headliner Radioactive Squirrels, who will be coming off their first-ever headlining gig Feb. 23 at the Brat Stop.

"We've got some new music we just recorded at Renwood Messenger studios in Kenosha that we're very happy with and we're using that as well as our video to promote the band and hopefully land more festival gigs this year," Squirrels guitarist John Schuld said.

Schuld said the band also enjoys playing charity events like TFF and Jamming For The Arts and Kenosha benefits Rock the Block for the Boys and Girls Club, Jammin' the Loop for the Kenosha Historical Society and Woofstock for Safe Harbor Humane Society.

For Shameless Place, TFF provides the chance to play some new music at a favorite venue.

"We have a lot of new material for a new album we're currently working on entitled 'Fear to Begin,' which will be recorded later this spring, followed by a short tour to promote it," said drummer Aslani. "I'm very excited to be playing, and better yet I'm excited about the bands we'll be playing with. It's more than special for us to be playing at George's pub … we'll be playing extra long that night, we'll be closing."

Volunteers

Ten years before Thoughts For Food began, the Racine County Food Bank began providing free food to the hungry. For the past 16 years, the two entities have grown in size and scope.

"TFF is our largest fundraising event and therefore our most important. It is a combination of this event and the National Association of Letter Carriers Food Drive' along with the Boy Scouts Scouting for Food food drive that enables us to supply our affiliate pantries, shelters and meal programs through the summer months," said Dan Taivalkoski, who first got involved with TFF as a tavern owner 10 years ago.

Without people willing to give their time, TFF couldn't exist.

"There are a ton of businesses behind the event; chiefly the venues who give up their bars for the night … all the independent sound companies, gear providers, sound engineers and of course the bands who often give up paying jobs at other venues to donate to a great cause," volunteer Paddy Fineran said. "Bottom line, it's the only event I still volunteer to work with because it is such an amazing get-together of talent and heart."

Schedule

Friday Night Pre-event

Eagles Club

319 Hamilton St.

8-9 p.m. Thorn

9:25-10:25 Binky Tunny & the Farmland Choakhold

10:50-11:50 American Uprise

Saturday Night Main Event

George's TAVERN

1201 N. Main St.

7-8:15 p.m. Mean Jake

8:30-9:45 Rhythm Dogs

10-11:15 Pulltops

11:30-12:45 a.m. Shameless Place

Eagles Club (upstairs)

319 Hamilton St.

7-8:15 p.m. Root River Band

8:30-9:45 Fun Factory 10-11:15 Pavlik, Stellman & Martin

11:30-12:45 a.m. Private Saunders

Eagles Club (DOWNSTAIRS)

319 Hamilton St.

7-8:15 p.m. EZ Liv'n

8:30-9:45 Lyden Moon

10-11:15 Flat Pocket

11:30-12:45 a.m. Identity Crisis

Coasters

1301 N. Main St.

7-8:15 p.m. Rumble Box

8:30-9:45 89 Mojo

10-11:15 Sun Spot

11:30-12:45 a.m. Radioactive Squirrels

Racine Yacht Club

2 Hubbard St.

7-8:15 p.m. Mesnard Location

8:30-9:45 Twang Dragons

10-11:15 3 Floors Up

11:30-12:45 a.m. CoAxe

Michigan's Pub

1300 Michigan Blvd.

7-8:15 p.m. Elusive Parallelograms

8:30-9:45 Mohr Ave.

10-11:15 Killing Dick Phefer

11:30-12:45 a.m.

The Andes

Red Line Tavern

1201 N. Wisconsin St.

7-8:15 p.m. Catch Me One Kid

8:30-9:45 Matthew Specht

10-11:15 Billy Orphan

11:30-12:45 a.m. OCD

Chartroom

209 Dodge St.

7-8:15 p.m. Titus, Rench & Wheary

8:30-9:45 Night Wing

10-11:15 Mark Harrod

11:30-12:45 a.m. Lake Effect

The Rhino Bar

1659 N. Main St.

7-8:15 p.m. Melvin Barker & The Blues Cruise

8:30-9:45 JosB

10-11:15 Gypsy Creed

11:30-12:45 a.m. HWY 13

Dinner donations

Restaurants donating a portion of their sales to the Food Bank on Saturday:

Yellow Rose

Yardarm

Ticket information

* Tickets can be purchased at the venues (except for the Racine Yacht Club) and at the Racine County Food Bank.

* Advance tickets are $10 and also gives entry to the Friday Night Pre-Event. Tickets purchased Saturday will be $15.

* A shuttle will run between the Racine Yacht Club and Michigan's Pub during Saturday night's event.

* For more information, visit the Web at http://www.thoughtsforfood.org/