Nathaniel Rateliff and Others Raise $60,000 for Refugees at Benefit Concert

Things haven't been easy for a local group that serves refugees, Project Worthmore, in the current political climate. In January, the nonprofit received a bomb threat on the same day that President Trump signed his first refugee ban. And some Project Worthmore staff have family members in some of the countries from which the White House is trying to restrict travel.

Nevertheless, the organization received serious support last Thursday, March 23, when an impressive lineup of Colorado musicians came together to play a benefit concert at the Ogden Theatre. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, DeVotchKa, Joe Sampson and Jonny 5 and Brer Rabbit of the Flobots all graced the Ogden's stage for a rocking evening dubbed “Sounds of Solidarity.”

After the event, Project Worthmore's marketing and events director told Westword that the concert raised around $60,000 for the organization.

“It will be around 60k when all is said and done from ticket sales, merch sales, our own merch, and the guitars auctioned and raffle tickets sold,” Lewis said.

“The show was amazing,” she added. “It was amazing to see so many fantastic musicians come together to raise their voices to provide a counter-narrative to one that is all too prevalent right now regarding refugees in the U.S. It was amazing to chat backstage with artists whose own parents were refugees, and to acknowledge that we are all immigrants if we trace back our family history. I think music has the ability to move us so deeply, and it's amazing to see it used as a vehicle for communicating solidarity and empathy.”

Below you can see more pictures of the concert: