Seattle is synonymous with music royalty, from Jimi Hendrix to Heart and Nirvana. Now Puget Sound's rich music history is facing a crossroads as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of many small, independently-owned venues, with some on the brink of closing for good.
It’s a problem across the entire state. The same stages that are now struggling once introduced the likes of Pearl Jam. Ben Haggerty became Macklemore on Seattle’s smaller stages.
Anthony Ray was a DJ at the Rotary Boys & Girls Club in Seattle until he became known as Sir Mix-a-Lot. Mix has been championing the “Keep Music Live Washington” movement for many months and is looking to help protect the future of Seattle's beloved music venues.
"Band Together Washington" is a live, virtual showcase to celebrate Washington’s live music culture and the ecosystem of other small businesses that rely upon the foot traffic those venues bring.
Sir Mix-a-Lot is co-hosting the showcase alongside Rachel Flotard from the band VISQUEEN. The show will feature a who’s who of Seattle talent: Brandi Carlile, Allen Stone, Duff McKagan, Macklemore and Pearl Jam are just a few of the headliners, and there will also be cameos from the acting world like Joel McHale, Rainn Wilson & Shannon Welles.
Band Together Washington is a free event with donations encouraged. The organizers say the show will feature concert rarities, discussions, live performances and plenty of laughs. Proceeds help support Keep Music Live’s campaign to provide COVID-19 relief grants to small, independent music venues across the state.
Register for the free livestream at www.KeepMusicLiveWa.com