Food Fighters: Why We Play Series

Ten Years! That's how long it's been since Andrew Lopez and his bandmates last played music. Ten years of running LoPiez and Floyd’s Burgers. Building businesses instead of building setlists.

But when Andrew saw the ad for Battle of the Businesses, something clicked.

"I was like, how do I be a part of this?" he said. "This would be super fun. And honestly, it's the best excuse ever."

The excuse? Getting the band together. His brother Peter, who's never even played drums on stage before, and their best friend Jake Lee. Three guys who've been talking about playing together for years, but never actually did it.

Until now. Because now there’s a stage. A deadline. A cause worth jamming for.

Battle of the Businesses is not just a show. It’s a Common Chord event that turns local businesses into performers and turns performance into funding for access to music across the Quad Cities.

Nine companies. One stage. Real impact.

Music Kept Them Out of Trouble. Now They’re Keeping It Alive for Others.

Andrew doesn’t overcomplicate it.

"If I had this type of stuff when I was a kid, I think I would have stayed out of a lot of trouble," he says. "Like, having a great place to practice, having access to lessons and instruments; that matters."

Access changes outcomes:

• Access to instruments

• Access to lessons

• Access to a place to go

“A kid strumming a guitar one time could change their life.”

That’s not a line. That’s lived experience.

And that's the point of Common Chord. Not just teaching kids how to play music. Making sure they CAN play music. Removing the barriers. Providing the instruments. Creating the space. Giving them the chance to strum that guitar, hit that drum, find that spark. Common Chord makes that access real.

The Cultural Trust makes sure it’s funded, scaled, and sustained.

"There's a lot of talent out there that might otherwise go undetected if they don't have any access to lessons and education. It'd be a real shame to miss out on that."

They're all Quad Cities natives and they've watched the arts scene grow into something they didn't have when they were kids. Ballet. Orchestra. Street art. Punk rock shows at Common Chord. Local bands opening for touring acts and touring acts opening for local bands.

"It's a great addition to have," Andrew says. "I didn't see as much of that when I was growing up. Now it's everywhere."

And that’s what this is all about. Funding arts and cultures here, at home, in the Quad Cities. Making these river bank communities the cultural hub of the Midwest.

Culinary Arts Meets Musical Arts

By day, the members of Food Fighters are running kitchens. The work is constant. Demanding. Creative in a different way.

“The kitchen is its own kind of stage,” Jake said.

But this is different. This is stepping back into something they almost lost. Something they didn’t make time for.  Something a lot of people never get back to.

This Is Why We Play

They didn’t need to do this. They are busy. Established. Successful. But here they are anyway. Rehearsing. Laughing. Dusting off skills they haven't used in a decade. Donating what little free time they have.

Because this is bigger than a band. Every ticket sold. Every dollar raised. Every business that steps on that stage—It funds access for the next kid who needs it.

That’s the core of The Cultural Trust’s investment thesis:

We don’t just support the arts. We build the system that makes access possible.

Food Fighters takes the Redstone Room stage on April 11 as part of Battle of the Businesses, benefiting Common Chord. Nine companies. Nine stories. One stage.

This is why we play — because Culture Matters Here, and it always will.

Battle of the Businesses | April 11 | Redstone Room | Tickets: https://www.commonchordqc.org/event/botb26/