FOOD donations instead of buying a ticket will get music fans into an anti-austerity gig in Bradford next month.

More than ten artists so far, including The Cajun Aces, Issimo and The Backyard Burners, are giving their time up free to go on stage at Glyde House in the city on Sunday, October 4, in aid of the city's Metropolitan Food Bank.

The event is part of a national We Shall Overcome weekend which spiralled from one man's idea to use songs as a practical way of helping people hit hard by homelessness and poverty.

Thornton guitarist Simon Mansfield took on the Bradford gig with co-organiser Anne Laure Corcol after a musician friend in Scarborough wanted help masterminding a countrywide chain of anti-austerity gigs.

Mr Mansfield said: "After the General Election there was lots of talking done about austerity but sitting around just moaning about it won't achieve anything. We need to take action. That's where my friend Joe Solo got the idea of having a chain of gigs all under the one united banner of We Shall Overcome, songs to fan the flames of discontent."

He added: "We expected about 20 gigs across the country but it's spiralled, there's even ones in America and Canada now. They are happening all over the place. At last count there was more than 200 planned with several thousands of musicians involved."

The Factory Street studio in Dudley Hill, Bradford, is also putting on a Saturday event for the We Shall Overcome initiative as part of its two-day Shuffle Festival featuring more than 40 live bands, said Mr Mansfield.

Admission to the Glyde House event, from 2pm to 11pm, is free but audiences are being asked to bring a food donation or make a donation to Bradford Metropolitan Foodbank.

"We are really hoping that people in Bradford will get behind us and come to show their support. Instead of buying a ticket, we'll be taking donations of food for the Metropolitan Food Bank which is much needed and will be much appreciated.

"We'd like to see it become a monthly event if it works. We've had plenty of musicians get in touch wanting to join us."

Keith Thomson, of Bradford Metropolitan Foodbank, said: "This has come out of the blue and it's a real bonus to us. We're delighted they are helping in this way and are very interested in their technique of replacing sterling with tins of beans and rice pudding to get into a gig for us - I hope it catches on."

The foodbank now gives out more than 1,000 foodbags every month and is close to totalling £200,000 of foodstuffs being handed out this year, last year it was £150,000.

"Demand is clearly increasing so we need as much help as we can get," added Mr Thomson.

To see a full UK gig list and get more information go to weshallovercomeweekend.com or go to facebook.com/groups/weshallovercomeweekend/