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The band Peanut Butter Johnson will play at the annual Funky Sweater Get Down on Friday.
The band Peanut Butter Johnson will play at the annual Funky Sweater Get Down on Friday.

Music-lovers don ugly sweaters for charity

For the past two years, Local iQ has put on the Funky Sweater Get Down, a music event where people donate food and clothing to charities.

The Funky Sweater Get Down kicks off Friday at 8 p.m. at the Launchpad.

"We call it an 'ugly-sweater party' because we like people showing up wearing their used sweaters," said Kevin Hopper, Local iQ's editor. "It's a fundraiser that benefits the Roadrunner Food Bank as well as the local storehouse. We are looking to get as many canned goods and clothes as possible."

Hopper is part of Peanut Butter Johnson, a band formed solely for the event.

"We don't take ourselves seriously at all," Hopper said. "We just like going out there and having a good time. We like doing these sorts of benefit shows."

Hopper wrote a theme song named after the event.

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"I had one or two verses bouncing around in my head when I asked my band if they wanted to make a song out of it," he said. "Now we have made a CD with that one single. We will be giving out our CD to the first 75 people who show up to the ugly-sweater party with donations."

The lineup is Fantastic Planet, Crazy Fool, Peanut Butter Johnson, Le Chat Lunatique and Felonious Groove Foundation.

"Felonious is a perfect headliner for this Friday," Hopper said. "With them it's all about the packed house, the high energy, and, of course, the dance floor. I think that their music and vibe goes with the whole theme of the event."

Felonious Groove Foundation was started by musician Todd Lovato in 1998.

"We play a lot of funk with a sort of Latin flare," Lovato said. "We have released three albums independently and have toured the Southwest extensively. We are excited to come back to play in Albuquerque."

Fantastic Planet, which Lovato also plays for, is a mix between roots, dance and rock.

Crazy Fool, a six-member local reggae band, has played together for 6 1/2 years.

"We play music that we call 'funky rock city reggae' - a blend of ska and reggae," said Ben Williams, a guitarist and singer for Crazy Fool. "The sound of our music has progressed a little over the years. We began playing with a more edgy sound because we incorporated elements of punk and hip-hop into our music. Now we play more of the mellow stuff. Sublime is definitely our biggest influence. In order to pay homage to the band, we use some of their lyrics to make our own songs."

Williams and the rest of Crazy Fool attended the Funky Sweater Get Down last year but did not play during the event.

"This year, we will have a chance to get in on the action," Williams said. "We like doing these benefit/charity events."

Williams said he jives on how the Funky Sweater's energy brings the community together.

"All of these bands are extremely solid," he said. "We all have a different feel, but that's what is going to make the show a lot of fun and hopefully a big success in raising funds for the needy."

The Funky Sweater Get Down

Friday, 8 p.m.

Launchpad

618 Central Ave. S.W.

$7 general, or $5 with a donation of clothes or food

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