Build a Barn With Former Journey Frontman Friday at Tonka Pay it Forward Concert

Mike Woodley wants you to build a barn this Friday.

Well, a figurative one.

The inaugural “Tonka Pay it Forward” concert at the Bayview Event Center will be headlined by the former lead singer of Journey—and raise money for a local family who has fallen on some hard times.

“Jay Witta, Mike Folk and I were talking about the Burns family and the rough time they were going through,” Woodley said. “We know their kids—they all play baseball and hockey together. That’s when we started talking about the old Amish barn raising stuff where if someone’s barn burns down everyone shows up for the weekend, builds a barn and has a party.”

Woodley and his friends started brainstorming, and the idea of an annual benefit concert was born.

“We decided we wanted to do an event every year where we find a local family or a cause or a charity that could use the money and have a party for them,” Woodley said.

Kevin Chalfant, the lead singer for Journey during the mid-1990s, was already scheduled to be in Minneapolis for a gig on Saturday, so Woodley thought he’d ask his friend to fly in a day early and headline the Tonka Pay it Forward Concert.

“He said yes immediately,” Woodley said. “Kevin is a Christian guy, and he gets it. He said if it helps people he’d be more than happy to come.”

When talk turned to choosing a venue for the concert, it was a short conversation.

“I can’t even tell you how little Bayview is charging me for the place,” Woodley said. “Everyone over there is just great.”

Tickets for Friday’s concert are available online and cost $20 until noon on Friday. Remaining tickets will be $30 at the door, but Woodley cautioned the concert has a very good chance of selling out.

“We’re keeping it reasonable, because like Mike Veck told me—you can’t sell a hot dog to an empty seat,” Woodley said.

Woodley went on to say the Minnetonka school community has blown him away with their generosity and support, adding parents, alumni and area residents never fail to answer the rallying call when someone is in need.

“I know all these parents—I’m a parent,” Woodley said. “We can go out, have fun and be close to home. We can have a downtown experience or better right here on the lake. We don’t have to go to the Myth Nightclub to see a Myth Nightclub act. We can stay right here, raise money, have a ton of fun and get home to the babysitter at a reasonable time.”

The Darners, a local blues rock band, will take the stage at 7 p.m., and guests will have a chance to bid on a wide selection of items on the silent and live auction blocks. Chalfant, backed by local musicians, will take the stage around 8:30 and perform a set of Journey songs that Woodley promises will have guests singing along and moving their feet.

“It’s probably going to be 12 to 14 Journey songs,” Woodley said. “It’s going to be a blast.”