Tue 11/22
As a local musician, John Panza had a dream of giving back to the music scene in the same way Cuyahoga Arts and Culture support arts and culture in the community via grants. What he came up with was the Panza Foundation, which, beginning last year, helped local bands purchase musical and recording gear, as well as pay for production, final product, promotion and concert or tour expenses.
Now the self-funded family operation has announced its inaugural Panza Foundation benefit show scheduled for Tue 11/22 at the Happy Dog. Performing will be the 2016 Panza Foundation bands Obnox, Goldmines, the Nico Missile and Ex-Astronaut.
CoolCleveland talked to Panza about his unique way to support Northeast Ohio’s music scene.
Let’s start with the foundation. What is it?
The Panza Foundation is a 501(c)3. We were formed in 2015 for the sole purpose to support local independent musicians and bands. The past two years we’ve given grants to about seven bands — plus the Lottery League — to support what they work on, towards their creative process, recording process. Whatever they need, we help them out.
What was the impetus for the nonprofit?
I’ve been a musician playing in Cleveland for about 20 years now, and in that time I’ve always thrown around the idea in my own head of the importance of bands receiving support. In the old days, you’d get it from record labels but obviously that’s changed a great deal. Then I saw the way the county began giving money and offering support. I like what they were doing. I wanted to do something different.
So is the goal behind the Panza Foundation donations to help local groups break out regionally and nationally or just to keep the local music scene vibrant?
It’s both, actually. I’d like to see the musicians be able to do what they do and broaden out of Cleveland if at all possible. And many of the bands we’ve supported so far are regularly touring bands. Obnox, for instance, tours regularly, and Goldmines as well. Of course, we want to put money back into the local economy. We want to put money back into the local scene.
How do you pick the bands that receive funding?
We stalk bands and approach them. There isn’t an application process. In fact, the bands we tend to support are the types of band who wouldn’t apply anyway. We tend to favor bands that have a pretty decent amount of experience. We’re not going to go after a band that has played only a couple of shows. We’re going after bands that have proven themselves to be reliable and musically talented. We prefer they have recordings out there as well. Then we approach them and say, “Hey, we can enhance what you’re already doing. We can make things easier for you.” That’s pretty much the approach we take.
It would seem as though each band donation is in the four-figure range?
I really can’t say for sure but let’s just say you’re in the range.
During its short existence, what kind of inroads has the Panza Foundation made in Northeast Ohio?
So far what I’ve seen, the number of shows these bands have played has been solid but more importantly they’ve been able to put albums out they otherwise would not have been able to do at the time. Goldmines were able to do a bit more in production. In the case of Obnox, we got T-shirts made.
In your opinion, what’s the current state of the Northeast Ohio music scene?
Northeast Ohio’s music scene is by no means itinerant. Bands stay here, musicians tend to stay here, and they tend to play in multiple projects at once. Cleveland sells itself short in terms of its music ability and the bands it produces. I think a lot of times it’s financial, I really do. A lot of bands can’t sustain it because the money just isn’t there. You’re just not going to make enough money to live being a musician in this city. So they have to have day jobs, do different things they have to do and then the music becomes secondary.
Finally, what types of bands does the Panza Foundation target?
We tend to support indie rock and experimental. I’d like to think the bands we support are treading new ground. We tend to favor bands that aren’t doing what I hear on SiriusXM Radio. The bands we support tend to be bands that push the boundaries and challenge themselves. We look for bands that have a professional attitude about them. And I don’t want to say professional in that they want to be rock stars. Professional in that they show up on time, they play good shows, they actively try to sell their merch, they take music seriously but then they don’t take rock stardom seriously. I tend to believe really, really successful bands are serious and have a good sense of humor of what they do. They know what they want and they want to make it happen. I’d like to think our little organization can help them do that.
panzafoundation
[Photo by Frank Lanza]
Cleveland, OH 44102