Local artists, wildfire survivors unite to sing, dance, entertain … and to heal
Perhaps healing begins with pop-and-lock, hip-hop moves. Or with growley Mariachi vocals. Or with heartfelt musical theater harmonies.
Or with all of the above.
Resilience and unity took center stage last week when a dozen local artists – many of whom lost homes and studios in the Eaton fire – performed at the Alex Theatre in Glendale for the Altadena and Friends fundraiser.
The charity event, produced by Pasadena Heritage and the Altadena Rotary, brought in just over $20,000 according to producer Zoot Velasco. It gave artists and audience members alike an evening’s reprieve from decision-making about rebuilding.
Instead, said Velasco, there was healing – from both sides of the stage.
“Usually, when performers are not performing,” said Velasco, “they hang out elsewhere.”
But on March 27, every act’s members hung out backstage to bear witness, he said. To see and learn from how other artists processed grief.
“It was an incredible amount of unity,” Velasco said, adding he’s not seen that sort of camaraderie in his more than four decades of performing arts experience.
“Half the people on stage lost houses,” Velasco said. “It was great for them to hear from other artists who lost houses.”
Proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward helping local businesses or service providers to make an immediate difference in the community, said Mark Mariscal, with Altadena Rotary.
“The event allowed donors and Eaton fire survivors to come together for a magical evening,” Mariscal said.
And, even though the majority of the artists offered to perform gratis, Velasco said organizers insisted on paying them thanks to an additional influx of $15,000 from Altadena Rotary.
“A lot of these local groups are having trouble getting gigs,” Velasco said. In the aftermath of the fires, he added, artists have to travel a long way from their temporary homes back into town to work.
One such performer – Brother Yusef, a blues solo guitarist and vocalist whose family homestead was lost to the Eaton fire – now lives in Downey.
“It was a lot different for him when he was able to just zip across town,” Velasco said.
Organizers are working on posting the video from the evening on YouTube, he added. Meanwhile, donations are still being accepted for the Eaton Fire Recovery Fund through altadenarotary.org.
Performers at the Altadena and Friends fundraiser included: Altadena Music Theater, Brother Yusef, Culture Shock Los Angeles (hip hop dance), Evan J. Marshall (mandolin), Mo and Sully (country music duo), Harmony Project (Mariachi band), Joe Monti (magician), Melodia Mariposa (classical piano) and Upstream (Caribbean band).