Billy Talent Drummer's Fundraiser

Billy Talent won't stage their usual F.U.M.S. concert to support the Multiple Sclerosis Society Of Canada Scholarship Fund this year because they're out of the country recording, but they've helped come up with an interesting fundraising alternative.

An art exhibit called Cut To The Drummer, featuring 50 portraits of 50 drummers by 50 artists, will be presented at Toronto's Steam Whistle Roundhouse Gallery from Feb. 5 to 28. An opening night reception hosted by Billy Talent drummer Aaron Solowoniuk and Goldfinger skin-beater Darrin Pfeiffer will feature a VIP preview of the portraits from 7 to 9 p.m., where attendees will get a first crack at purchasing the works at a silent auction.

The portraits — whose subjects include Solowoniuk, Pfeiffer, Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, Rush's Neil Peart, Blink-182's Travis Barker, Black Sabbath's Bill Ward, The Who's Keith Moon, The Velvet Underground's Moe Tucker and Red Hot Chili Peppers' Chad Smith — are expected to attract bids of from $300 to $2,500 each. More details can be found on the Cut To The Drummer website.

The second part of the evening will feature Pfeiffer and Solowoniuk spinning tunes and "Drum-O-Rama," where many of Toronto's top percussionists "will move to center stage for some explosive and competitive drumming where stamina and 'chops' will rule," states a press release.

Attending the early-bird reception and silent auction will set you back $150, while $30 will get you in after 9 p.m. Tickets go on sale on Thursday through ticketweb.ca. Money raised from Cut To The Drummer will go to the Solowoniuk-initiated Multiple Sclerosis Society Of Canada Scholarship Fund.

Solowoniuk started the fund because he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998. Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system. Three Canadians are diagnosed with it every day.

Despite the pain that Solowoniuk often endures, he's still a vital contributor to Billy Talent. You'll be able to hear his work on the band's third album, which they're recording with producer Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, AC/DC).