WJCU 88.7 FM and Auburn Records will host a food drive for the Cleveland Foodbank and Friends of the Cleveland Kennel with a benefit concert on Friday, December 23 at The Saw Concert Club (formerly the Jigsaw) in Parma, Ohio. Parma's own ETERNAL LEGACY and SOULLESS will headline a 7-band all-star billing that features some of the region's best heavy metal bands. The benefit runs from 6:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Admission is FREE!

Fans attending the third annual Iron Ingo Cleveland Metal Holiday Food Drive are encouraged to bring canned or non-perishable foods to help those in need this holiday season. A donation will be made from the Cleveland Metal community to the Cleveland Foodbank and Friends of the Cleveland Kennel (dogs and cats).

The Saw, a popular Cleveland-area music club formerly known as the Jigsaw, had been on hiatus in booking original heavy metal bands since 2009 but recently reopened its doors on December 3 with a new name and a return to a heavy metal format.

"I am absolutely thrilled to play at the old Jigsaw again," adds Eternal Legacy guitarist Shaun Vanek. "This club had become our home in previous years and we were all very saddened when it closed. We always packed this house full with pure diehard metal heads and I just want to say welcome back to the party. Expect one hell of a return. This show is going to be off the hook."
"We are delighted to once again be doing a show in our defacto hometown of Parma, Ohio," says Soulless frontman Jim Lippucci. "It's been several years since we've been able to thrash in Parma and we are confident that any DNA evidence has long since deteriorated, and that any outstanding warrants are long expired. The fact that the gig is a benefit for not one, but two great causes makes it even sweeter and has nothing to do with confidential settlements or court ordered community service. We encourage, no, we command all ye faithful Cleveland area metalheads to come forth with your canned goods and cash donations! Help a family down on their luck, or even a hungry pup or feline. Support the Cleveland Food Bank and Friends of the Cleveland Kennel by crushing skulls...with kindness!"

Bands set to perform include:

Eternal Legacy

Soulless

SHOK PARIS

CRYPTKICKER

GROUND ZERO

BORROWED TIME (from Detroit)

ALTERNATE REALITY

Special guest hosts are DESTRUCTOR vocalist and guitarist Dave Overkill and RED HOT HEATHENS burlesque entrepreneur and entertainer Aurora Sans.

"This annual food drive just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year," says Overkill. "Last year we surpassed the amount of food and money that was raised the previous year by leaps and bounds. We look forward to another great turnout. Donate what you can and have fun!"
“This will be my second year participating", adds Sans, "and it only seems appropriate because it involves two of my favorite things in this city: being active in the community and the Cleveland metal family. It's exactly that. A family. Horns up!"

The food drive is named in honor of Germany's Iron Ingo Stührenberg. Ingo, a writer for the popular German underground heavy metal webzine Metal Rules, has adopted Cleveland as his second home. He has traveled to Cleveland from his home in Wiesmoor, Germany, at his own expense, to host two previous food drive events. He will be unable to make the trip this year but will be with his friends and fans in spirit.

"When I came over for the very first time to Cleveland to host the 25th anniversary of Auburn Records heavy metal festival in December 2009, Bill Peters (Auburn Records president and WJCU "Metal On Metal" host) organized a free admission concert as a gift to the metal community for their longtime loyalty and had the great idea instead of selling tickets for the show to ask the fans for bringing food donations for the Cleveland Foodbank," recalls Ingo. "It turned out to a great success. "Exactly one year later I was back for the Iron Ingo Cleveland Indoor Air Festival 2010 with the same concept collecting food donations and during the show also money for the Cleveland Foodbank and we topped the result from the year before and had nearly 1,300 pounds of food and a bucket full of cash to donate.

"This year will be the third time Bill Peters is presenting a free admission concert for the fans and again asking for food donations for the Cleveland Foodbank and also this time the Friends of the Cleveland Kennel for dogs and cats, which is really a very good idea.

"There are a lot of people who are in a bad situation of not having a home, a bed to sleep, nor food to eat and it´s a problem of our society everywhere in the world. Look around in cities everywhere and you will witness homeless and poor people struggling to survive.

"To help those people and animals is necessary and it´s so easy to give a little bit to help a lot."

The Cleveland Foodbank supplies a majority of the food used in local hot meal sites, shelters, and food pantries. In addition, they provide food to child care centers, group homes, and programs for the elderly.

The Foodbank works closely with other Northeast Ohio hunger relief organizations, providing food and nonfood products to hunger centers administered by the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland, the Catholic Hunger and Shelter Network, and the Salvation Army, among others.

“Food is the most basic of needs," says Anne Goodman, Foodbank president and CEO. "With one in four of our children living on the brink of hunger we need to do everything we can to make sure they get the nutritious food they need to function. This event will help bring further awareness to the issue and this donation will help feed many hungry families as the need for food continues to rise. On behalf of all the hungry people in our area, thank you!”

The Friends of the City of Cleveland Kennel is a group of volunteers dedicated to providing the necessary medical and general care for the animals at the Cleveland Kennel in the hopes of giving them a second chance at a good life.

Becca Britton, director of the Friends of the Cleveland Kennel, comments: "The Cleveland Kennel can have up to 150 animals at any given time. The animals that come into the kennel are all very special, but they have not been the given the life that they deserve. Many supplies are not provided by the city of Cleveland, which is why we rely on individual donations to provide the animals the care they deserve. Thank you for your generosity to help Cleveland's homeless animals!"
"Heavy metal fans, despite the unwarranted stereotypes by some, are the most generous people when it comes to supporting good causes," says food drive organizer Bill Peters. “We’ve decided we are going to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. Our 2010 donations tripled 2009! The goal this year is to do more of the same. It feels good to give something back. These two excellent organizations are a safety net to help those less fortunate who have hit rock bottom. Both are experiencing critical food shortages due to a continued stagnant economy and need our support now more than ever. By getting involved and working together, we are trying to make a positive difference in our community."

In the YouTube clip below, Iron Ingo comes on stage dressed in full Eddie Claus attire, designed by Gary and Alicia Ulmer, to throw out presets of CDs, DVDs and t-shirts to the crowd during MAIDEN VOYAGE's festival-closing version of 'Iron Maiden' at the 2010 Cleveland Metal Holiday Food Drive benefit at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland.