On Saturday, May 30, 2020, The Colorado Music Relief Fund (CMRF) launched with a virtual event, 'Banding Together: A Concert for the Colorado Music Relief Fund,' presented by Breckenridge Brewery. With an all-star lineup of performances from iconic locations across Colorado and beyond, the CMRF is proud to reveal that the 'Banding Together' launch concert raised over $625,000 and counting in much-needed relief funds to help all those in the Colorado music industry affected by COVID-19. The Colorado Music Relief Fund Auction is accepting bids through June 5th, here.
The concert, which originally aired on 97.3 KBCO, CBSN Denver and on Youtube, featured an incredible lineup of performances from musicians from across the State performing from iconic Colorado locations unlike seen before. Opening the show with an emotional and poignant performance of "Time Stands," in an empty Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Nathaniel Rateliff graciously set the tone for the evening, stating, "A lot of this goes to the people you don't see behind the scenes. And this has been a pretty difficult time for us in our industry but it's a difficult time for us all around the world. Hopefully, this will lighten some of the burden. To those of who you stuck at home we love you and miss you and we wish you well."
Honoring the frontline medical workers battling Covid-19 every day in Colorado, Todd Park Mohr of Big Head Todd & The Monsters performed on top of Denver Health Hospital, surrounded by doctors and nurses. Paul Hoffman from Greensky Bluegrass performed from the legendary Caribou Ranch in stunning Nederland, CO, while The Lumineers closed the first hour of the show with a stirring performance of their hit song "Stubborn Love" inside an empty Empower Field at Mile High Stadium. Additionally, a selection of Colorado's most beloved national and International Artists performed in support of CMRF, expressing their gratitude and love for the State and our passionate music fans, incredible venues, and vibrant music industry. The 'Banding Together' launch concert concluded with "The Colorado Encore" featuring outstanding performances from Colorado musicians Inaiah Lujan, Gabrielle Louise, The Reminders, Austin Young Band, and The Still Tide. The entire concert is available to watch, here.
Colorado Music Relief Fund founder and show producer Chris Tetzeli shares, "From all four corners and in between, the music industry of Colorado came together to pull this off. As it is with concerts it was the people behind the scenes, the very people the fund was set up for, that made this show happen. Most notably, Brown Note Productions and No Coast TV were heroic in producing the event and the webcast. Scott Arbough and Walt Dehaven from KBCO and CBS4 were incredible partners. We hope this will be helpful for everyone who makes Colorado's music scene so magical."
Scott Arbough of KBCO commented, "KBCO has enjoyed a partnership for many years with nearly all of the musicians who performed, most from the early days of their careers. It was so rewarding to see them all join together to support the Colorado music community in such a generous way. I am grateful for the encouragement from Governor Jared Polis, Chris Tetzeli and his staff at 7s Management, the dedicated staff at CBS4 and KBCO, and everyone behind the scenes that donated their time to bring Banding Together to life. Most of all thank you to the music fans who stepped up to help those who bring live music to Colorado."
The Colorado Music Relief Fund was created to support all of those who help bring music to our lives - host of talented and dedicated individuals, crews, and businesses working on stage and behind the scenes. CMRF will continue to raise funds and provide a steady stream of high-quality events to support the Colorado music community. The Colorado Music Relief Fund Charity Auction is accepting bids through June 5th, 2020, offering incredible items and experiences to support our musicians and production crews, including:
Nathaniel Rateliff house concert & meal cooked by Mark Shusterman
Todd Park Mohr private concert & dinner by Chef Nelson Perkins
Fly Away: Hotels, Flights, & tickets for any Live Nation show in USA for 2 people
The Lumineers: 2 tickets with pre-show experience, vinyl, and CD
