20 Grand turns to Kickstarter
<p>20 Grand hopes to raise $3,700 on Kickstarter to cover the cost of its debut album. The funk band must raise the money by Jan. 1.</p>
A local funk band is using a popular crowdfunding site to record its debut album.
20 Grand is turning to Kickstarter to cover the cost of the album, which the band recently recorded at SnowGhost Music in Whitefish. Band members already have contributed their own money, but they hope to raise $3,700 more to cover the remaining mixing, mastering and disc pressing.
At press time, the project had raised $2,250. The band estimates the total cost will come to around $6,400.
"Mostly our costs will be for the studio,” drummer Vinnie Rannazzisi said.
“We wanted to keep it local, and there are only a handful of recording studios with enough isolation for an eight-piece funk band to track live. In addition, SnowGhost Music is one of the only studios around that records with analog tape, and that was a very attractive feature to us. We are also keeping it in house for the mastering process."
The price tag also includes flying in the band’s trumpet player, Nick Simko, who is finishing a music degree at Ohio University. Almost since 20 Grand's inception five years ago, Simko has been an integral summertime member whose horn sound is one of its hallmarks.
20 Grand's Kickstarter campaign has several backer levels that offer many rewards. The band offers copies of the CD, music lessons, homemade pies, a board game night or potluck accompanied by a funk DJ set, and private snowboarding lessons.
For the highest premiums, the band will arrange to play weddings or other events.
Learn more about the band and read more about the project by visiting 20 Grand’s Kickstarter page, www.kickstarter.com/projects/1414315812/20-grands-first-album. Two new, unmastered tracks can be heard by clicking on the updates tab.
Because of Kickstarter’s rules, 20 Grand's album will only be funded if the band reaches its goal of $3,700 by 1:54 p.m. Jan. 1. If the band doesn’t reach its goal, existing contributions will not be processed.
If their campaign is successful, 20 Grand hopes to have the album completed and ready to distribute by Jan. 21.