When Amanda Lee moved to Lethbridge from Copper Cliff, Ontario, she was not only struck by how quickly she was welcomed, but she was stunned by amount of musical talent in Lethbridge.
So she decided to give a little back by setting up the Cheeky Pig Studio grant — an opportunity for young 
up and coming musicians to record in a professional studio.
There a lot of young bands playing. A lot of them are involved with Attainable Records. These up and coming bands are the next generation,” Lee said.
“I thought what could I possibly do to give back to the community and this was perfect— raise some money and give it back to the local music scene,” she said.
The first venture has been holding regular monthly “Porketta” bingo night at the Owl Acoustic Lounge on the last Wednesday of every month during which participants pay for a hand of cards of which the numbers and suites are called out like in a bingo game.
“ Porketta is all about laughter,” she said, noting the name “Cheeky Pig” came to her one day while driving her children and it made them all laugh.
“I got it legalized that same day. So now it’s mine,” she said thanking Steve Foord and the Owl for giving her the space for Porketta Bingo as well as the first big show.
A battle of the bands style event at the Owl Acoustic Lounge in October will be the final event of the season and when the grant recipient will be decided. A panel of judges who are in the business including business owners and musicians who know how much work goes in to making a career out of music will judge the bands based on showmanship, originality, business savvy and overall quality of sound.
“I’m not going to be involved in that part of it,” she said.
“We’re looking for bands who have the passion to do music full time. And it is a passion. It is difficult,” she said, adding as a result they are looking for bands whose members are all over the age of 18.
She noted all types of acts are welcome from solo acts to soul acts and everything in between , be it indie rock, metal, country, hip hop or folk.
“And we want to help them take it to the next level,” she continued.
“We’ll be holding fundraising shows with high profile bands and local openers,” said Lee, noting she’d like to raise $10,000 for the grant this year and increase it each year.
The first of those was March 12 at the Owl Acoustic Lounge featuring Calgary rockers Dojo Workhorse, including Dan Vacon and members of the Dudes. Local rock band Toques and Beards are also on the bill. Their opening show raised $2,000 towards the grant.
She said Dojo Workhorse was the perfect band to kick things off.
“Dan was raised by a single mom. So he knows how tough it can be. And he’s unbelievably talented and he’s in three successful bands including the Dudes and the High Kicks,” she said.
She said other big shows are planned including possibly Five Alarm Funk, though that hasn’t been confirmed yet.
“And we’ll always have a local opener,” she said.
The next Cheeky Pig Porketta night is April 26 at the Owl Acoustic Lounge at 8:30 p.m.
More information is available online at www.cpstudiogrant.com
