Lawrence.com

For members of the alt-rock group The Noise FM, the holiday spirit of giving versus receiving has long been an important one. Though the group relocated from Lawrence to Chicago a year ago, the band members continue to give back to the local community with their third-annual Douglas County Marine Toys For Tots Foundation benefit concert, Noise For Toys.

Lead vocalist and guitarist for The Noise FM, Alex Ward, says attendees of this year’s Noise For Toys event can expect an ugly Christmas sweater theme, prize drawings and giveaways and perhaps even a visit from Santa himself. He says the show’s diverse line-up should offer something interesting for most holiday revelers. Beside The Noise FM, the bands performing the event are Lawrence indie group Cowboy Indian Bear, Kansas City’s Making Movies, members of Team Bear Club and special guest and opening act Hawley, from Chicago.

“It’s going to be a good mix of bands,” Ward says. “I think our style’s a good representation of everything going on. We’re pretty dancy, especially on this night. We’re not going to take ourselves too seriously. We’re just going to try and put on a party and have everyone dance and have fun. We’ll have plenty of candy canes to hand out to people and we’re trying to have a photo booth so you can get your picture taken with Santa Claus — we’re still trying to get the logistics worked out on that one.”

Ward says the 2010 show collected two “huge” boxes of toys and raised more than $2,000 in donations. He says although the band has physically moved away from Kansas, they still consider Lawrence to be their hometown. Ward says it’s important for the band to still get back to Lawrence, play shows here and help the community.

“We basically formed the band in Lawrence and that was our hometown, where we kind of really made a name for ourselves in terms of working on our sound. Every time we come back, we consider it a homecoming show.”

Austin Ward, the band’s drummer and Alex’s brother, says the Marine Toys For Tots Foundation was the obvious choice for the charity the band wanted to aid. He says concertgoers should expect a vibrant holiday experience at the Bottleneck.

“Children will always be the focus around Christmastime,” Austin says, “so we found the best charity to benefit kids – that has to be Toys For Tots. As far as the show, every year we try to outdo ourselves with decorations. People can expect lots of lights and trees and ornaments. They can expect, hopefully, all the bands will be decked out in ugly Christmas sweaters with some holiday songs thrown in there. Basically, it’s going to be a big holiday bash with a lot of lights and toys.”

One thing in particular Austin Ward is looking forward to is a lively holiday audience. He says there’s something special that happens when The Noise FM plays benefit shows. Audiences usually come more enthused because they know they are involved with a good cause. There’s one thing in particular he’s looking forward to with this Noise For Toys show, however.

“We’re really trying to push the sweater deal. Each year it’s gotten better, with people showing up in costume and sweaters, so we’re really trying to push that. It makes it a lot more enjoyable when people are kind of involved and decorated like the bands.”

Mary Jones, Coordinator for Douglas County’s Marine Toys For Tots Foundation, says the organization definitely appreciates the work done by The Noise FM with their yearly show. She says most of the funding for the organization, which served more than 2,300 children in 2010, comes from individuals and events like this one.

“It has been successful,” Jones says. “It’s given us good publicity. It helps people know we’re here. It’s provided toys and money, which we need. The thing I like about it is it’s young folks trying to help kids. The Noise FM are great guys and they’re so easy to work with. We don’t have any big corporate sponsors or anything like that. It’s the little events that keep us going. And these guys, they get some good money to us and it’s a great event. They’ve got some good music going on.”

Jones, who stresses that every toy donated to the Douglas Country chapter of Marine Toys for Tots Foundation stays in the local community, says she’s excited for another year of Noise For Toys.

“I’m thrilled they’re coming back to do the event again. I think it’s just great. They developed the program and everything. I think it’s fun and hope everyone will attend. We’ve got some fun door prizes and stuff, so it’ll be a good night for everybody.”