On Sunday, February 2nd over 1500 people packed the sold out Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles for “This Is LA,” a benefit for the victims of the devastating California fires, impressively organized on incredibly short notice by SOS Booking & Productions.
As demonstrated so often in the past, when the community is in need, hardcore shows up, and Sunday night saw eight incredible bands, God’s Hate, Rotting Out, Xibalba, H20, Zulu, Strife, Downpresser, and Watch You Fall, volunteer to play for the sold out crowd to help raise money and support for the victims of the devastating wildfires that recently ravaged Los Angeles and left so many residents without a place to call home. Each of the bands played for free and shared words of support, encouragement, and thanks with all those in attendance.
The members of H20, a band originally out of New York, shared stories of how LA had become home to so many of their members, and Rotting Out’s Walter Delgado dedicated their set to those who had lost their homes during the fires and shared the very personal reason the tragedy resonated with him as he, too, had once had to be rushed out of his home in the middle of the night, never to return. “I know what it’s like to have to be woken up in the middle of the night and asked and rushed and urged to leave your home. To lose. To understand that loss, to understand that grief, to move forward and not look back, because you can’t, because there’s nothing left there anymore. I know that grief. I know that loss…When I was a kid, no one was there for me. I didn’t have a community. I didn’t have this. And I want to be a part of that, and give that to somebody.” Rotting Out also held a raffle at the show that included a Fender guitar and Benji’s personal bass used during that night’s set to raise additional funds to be donated at the end of the night.
During their headlining set, God’s Hate sent their love to LA in a tribute to LAHC that included covers of SoCal legends Internal Affairs, Carry On, Downpresser, and Piece by Piece. Drummer Colin Young also took a moment away from his kit to tackle vocals as the band broke into “Eyes Adjust,” a track from another one of Colin’s bands, Twitching Tongues. The already hyped crowd went into overdrive as the band ended the night with Finish The Job, the screaming crowd echoing the murderous callback as Brody King stalked the stage.
All told, by the end of the night, over $30k had been raised to be donated and distributed to families in need by the Local Hearts Foundation, a registered 501c3 charity with whom SOS also partners during their annual holiday toy drive, For The Children. At a time when tragedy and uncertainty are around every corner, whether natural disaster or national disasters, hardcore has time and again proven the power of community, that we are united by more than could ever divide us, and that, for each other and for our community, we we will continue to show up and give back. That is hardcore, and this is LA.
Photos by: Oscar Rodriguez – www.bloomxco.com – IG: @bloomxphoto
God’s Hate
Rotting Out
Zulu
Xibalba
H20
Strife
Downpresser
Watch You Fall
