UPDATE 3:23 p.m. EST: This show is sold out. Took about three hours to sell every ticket in the house — and at the VIP price of $75 apiece. Well done, Boston.
From organizer Mark Lind via the Facebook event page:
Folks, this show is now sold out. Sold out at $75 donations. You are all awesome. Now let’s see if we can’t get you a second show at a bigger venue with a slightly modified line-up…… This small venue show is gonna be one for the books! We’ll keep you posted.
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Less than a week after two Boston firefighters died battling a nine-alarm blaze on Beacon Street, the city’s punk rock community has come together to raise money for the fallen’s families.
A benefit show to support the families of Lieutenant Edward Walsh and firefighter Michael Kennedy has been set for Tuesday, April 22 at Great Scott in Allston.
On the bill are Street Dogs (pictured above), a reunited Avoid One Thing (their first show in 10 years), Ducky Boys, Lenny Lashley’s Gang of One, the Welch Boys, Burning Streets, and Duck and Cover.
VIP tickets, which include a signed limited silk screen poster from the bands and a t-shirt, are $75 and go on sale today at noon. The general on-sale is Thursday at non, and those tickets are $30 (same ticket link as VIP). The benefit is co-presented by Bowery Boston with Ladder 14 and Engine 41, and all proceeds will be donated at the end of the night to the Lieutenant Walsh – Firefighter Kennedy Memorial Fund, established by the Boston Firefighters Credit Union.
“You’d be hard pressed to find someone in the Boston area that doesn’t have a friend or a relative on the fire department,” Mark Lind of Ducky Boys tells Vanyaland. “People want to help and they don’t know how; we’re just gently steering people toward the official fundraising efforts and throwing a punk rock show their way in exchange for their donation. It’s the right thing to do. It could have been any one of our friends or relatives on the fire department that didn’t come home that day.”
Bowery Boston’s Josh Smith says that the show came together quickly, and multiple parties are working together to get as much money raised as possible. Great Scott has donated the room for the night, DigBoston has covered flight and transportation costs for some of the out-of-town musicians, and Narragansett Beer is donating $2 for every ‘Gansett purchased during the show. Raffle items include stuff from the Dropkick Murphys, Rancid, Swingin’ Utters, the Red Sox, Bruins and more.
“The music community has stepped up to contribute and we are extremely appreciative to the bands, donors and all involved,” says Smith.
Lind adds that Street Dogs frontman Mike McColgan is a former firefighter and was instrumental in helping the night come together, as was Joe Gittleman who offered to reunite Avoid One Thing for one night after a decade away. It’s all for the cause.
“No one can change what happened but if we can help ease the financial burden just a little for those families left behind then it should be done,” he adds. “I understand that Lt. Walsh leaves behind three kids under 10 years old. Those kids are going to need school clothes and sneakers and the things we all take for granted for years to come. It’s just a terrible shame and it’s something that hits people right in the heart.”