Tunes for Toys: Spreading holiday cheer from Old Bakery Beer

ALTON – For the fourth consecutive year, Tunes for Toys will help bring holiday cheer to the Riverbend at Old Bakery Beer Company on Dec. 1.

Tunes for Toys is one of the handful of annual concerts held in the area hosted for a good cause. It was founded by Old Bakery Beer Company Sales Representative Caleb Lewis four years ago when he was in a band called Rising Tides. He said he wanted to consider a way to give back to the community during Christmastime. He decided to host a concert for which the admission was an unopened Christmas gift for an area child in need. That trend continues for this year's incarnation as well.

This year, admission is either an unopened gift or $10. The gifts will go to Riverbend Family Ministries – as they did last year – and the money will go to Galesburg-based DD Homes, which operates group homes for people in need across the State of Illinois with several locations in the Riverbend, including in Wood River, Edwardsville, Alton and Hardin.

“I went there after we did it for them last year and saw all the good they were doing with it,” Lewis said of Riverbend Family Ministries. “And DD Homes really does a good service for this area, and I'm sure the money can help them get some things people need for their personal health, or hygiene.”

For that unopened gift or small donation, attendees are treated to a buffet sponsored by Gordon Food Service, a free drink from Old Bakery Beer Company, who is also volunteering to host it, and a lineup of four musical acts. That lineup will include traditional banjo tunes from Rory Morse, original blues from Matt Mahoney, the funky blues of the Mindframes and Lewis's own band with two fellow Old Bakery Beer Company employees, Pilot Batch.

Pilot Batch is a fitting name for a band with three brewery employees, as it is the first experimental batch of a new brew. Much like the name suggests, this will be their first show and they only have a few practices. Joining Lewis in this musical endeavor are fellow brewery workers Justin Level (who is also in Mindframes) and Cody Hale. Zack Toner, who doesn't work at the brewery, plays drums. Both Hale and Toner were in the beloved, now-on-hiatus local favorite, Polyshades.

“We don't sound like Polyshades, but if you liked them, you'll definitely hear that in them, especially in Cody's guitar,” Level said. “He has a certain way of playing that really sticks out.”

Past events have brought more than 200 toys and $1,000 cash, Lewis said. He said each year has also been larger than the last. He expects that trend to continue this year. He planned it earlier in the month of December this year to hopefully avoid the sort of bad weather, which has plagued previous shows.

“We're definitely expecting a packed house this year,” he said. “Old Bakery has been great with hosting it. This will be the third year we've hosted it year, and they have always provided the building and that drink for people.”

The show starts at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 and lasts until around 10 p.m.

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