For the last ten years, Flea’s non-profit Silverlake Conservatory of Music has hired us to cater for their annual fundraiser with guests ranging from 300-500. We support SCM throughout the year providing food for their summer camps where underserved youth get to learn music at their beautiful center designed by Barbara Bestor.
Flea always has an impressive line up of musical guests and this year it was Eddie Vedder who insisted on including some students on stage with him for the finale at the end of the night.
While our team is busy setting up the tables and prepping the kitchen….
Musicians are warming up and doing sound check.
To the left, Eddie Vedder’s gear. To the right, Heirloom LA’s.
Besides the musical line-up, the donated art to be auctioned off is always highly anticipated, much of it garnering into the six digits, and all of it funding the scholarship program at SCM for the whole year to follow.
Each year we donate a dinner to bid on, and each year it always makes us smile , that the high bidding winner is one of the esteemed SCM board members.
The programs were designed by Gus Van Sant, who is a big supporter of SCM.
At each place setting, we included an individual crudite with hummus.
A warm Cumin Carrot Salad was featured as well to pass around the table.
Also on the table was line-caught and local white fish ceviche with some chunky guacamole, our own house made chips, and pickled vegetables to greet guests as they sat down. It was a Mexican theme for the night!
As guests start to arrive, a steady flow of vegetarian appetizers are passed around by our team.
Cocktail hour takes place outside but also inside the school where there is more art to bid on.
All appetizers are vegetarian and just small little bites because this crowd typically eats pretty light.
By and by, guests start to find their seats….
And our kitchen gears up to plate the family-style dinner service.
The menu was tacos with all the fixins. There was 100% grass-fed beef and line-caught and local white fish, as well as several sides like this bean salad.
Although there was meat featured for the taco filling, it was not a center of the plate entree. Rather, it was more of a side. Flea has been a long time vegan so we are always happy to honor that while still satisfying the carnivores. We are just scaling back on the meat here.
As is custom each year, The Red Hot Chili Peppers perform as dinner service is underway. Rock-n-roll!
Dessert is Churros and a Fruit Platters for each table.
Eddie Vedder absolutely slayed on a ukulele!!!! For each song he changed up his instrument, performed solo and also performed with others. He did some Pearl Jam classics and some covers as well.
For the grand finale, Eddie Vedder and The Red Hot Chili Peppers brought up a student to do the main vocals for Prince’s Purple Rain. It was generous and moving and so cool, as it embodied the heart of SCM. It represented everything we love about the program. As always, this event feels like family, and we are proud to partner with SCM throughout the year for keeping music learning thriving for neighborhood children as well as underserved children who would never be able to afford an instrument of their own or weekly lessons. This fundraiser makes it possible.
Photos: Gary Leonard
