You know the old saying; when life gives you 200 mangoes, make a Mango Tour. Right? Anyone? That seems to be the plan for Palm Beach County reggae outfit Future Prezidents. The group happened upon a fruity goldmine in their backyard, and are turning it into a way to spread their crunchy granola message.
Lead singer Boris "Boe" Simeonov and bassist Mathew Huntsberger both hail from Portland, Maine, but are now calling their "House of Prez" in Lantana home. When mango season hits, their massive and generous tree drops glorious mangoes for weeks on end. So what to do with so much excess deliciousness? Only one option: Share the love, and make a statement in the process.
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After a lap on the Tire Kingdom stage at this year's SunFest, Future Prez have quickly become a mainstay on the local circuit, playing regular gigs around PBC at places like O'Shea's Irish Pub, Guanabanas, and E.R. Bradley's. It just made sense then that they share the fruits of their labor (yeah, we went there, and what?) with area show-goers.
"People give us their love when we are on stage, so we want to give something back," said Boe. And what better way to receive love from a band than in the form of something to munch? That is, besides the dancing feet and tingling ears.
Future Prezidents are passing out the mangoes produced by their tree at a group of shows affectionately referred to as "the Mango Tour." But this is about more than simply a symbiotic relationship between band and fan. It's about educating a wider audience about something that means a lot to the Future Prezidents: non-GMO, organic living.
"A lot of people don't even know what GMO stands for," admits Boe. He and Mat started to delve deep into our nation's franken-foods, or genetically modified organisms, and came out on the other side as changed, much healthier men. Just like their well-crafted, original tunes, they make a point to keep their home as organic as possible. "I feel like my house is my sanctuary, and the mango tree has become a symbol of that."
They showed this cause is more than just a passing phase by writing "Earth, Water & Soul," an anti-Monsanto song, and performing it during the non-GMO West Palm Beach protest on March 25.
So the mangoes are free for the taking, but are the any good? Boe told us "Everybody always asks what kind of mangoes they are, and I say 'the delicious kind.' Seriously, they are big, the seed is small, and they are the best mangoes you will ever have."
The mangoes come labeled with not only the Future Prezidents band name, but their favorite chant "Hell No, GMO" scribbled on the skin. The end result means that someone might come out for an night of music and vibes and go home with a new abbreviation to Google. That's the true power of these mangoes -- spreading the Future Prez message and building a community in the process.
You still have time to grab a handful of these sweet treats, though it's not clear yet exactly how many dates are on the Mango Tour. Boe says, "That's not up to me, that's up to Mother Nature." But it looks like the fruit will be dropping like it's hot at least through the end of August.
The Mango Tour
Sunday, Aug 11, 3:00p.m. -- Two Georges Waterfront Grill, Boynton Beach
Saturday, Aug 17, 9 p.m. -- O'Shea's Irish Pub, West Palm Beach
Saturday, Aug 24, 8 p.m. -- Old Key Lime House, Lantana
Friday, Aug 30, 9 p.m. -- Biergarten, Boca Raton
Saturday, Aug 31, 3:30 p.m. -- Two Georges Waterfront Grill, Boynton Beach
Sunday, Sept 1, 5 p.m. -- Kahuna Bar and Grill, Deerfield Beach
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