Michael Madsen
Audio By Carbonatix
While the pandemic took a toll on the state for most of 2020, Colorado also experienced three of the biggest wildfires in the state’s history, burning nearly 700,000 acres. Jesse Marcus, frontman of Denver pop-funk band Jesse Marcus & the Swan Song, wanted to find a way to help people affected by the fires, so he organized the Colorado Wildfire Recovery Show in an effort to raise over $10,000 in partnership with the Grand Foundation’s Wildfire Emergency Fund.
“I wanted to organize this event because I felt it necessary to give back somehow during a year where so many people have experienced loss,” Marcus says. “I have been fortunate enough to keep my job this past year, and wanted to unite local musicians together for the cause of wildfire recovery.
“The pandemic has largely overshadowed the record-breaking nature of last year’s wildfires, and I wanted to raise both awareness and funds to support ongoing recovery efforts, especially during such a turbulent year. With the protocols in place to protect public health, there has been little work for professional and amateur musicians alike.”
The Colorado Wildfire Recovery Show will stream from 4 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, April 3, from Dog House Music Studios in Lafayette. The lineup includes headliner the Adam Deitch Trio, led by the former Lettuce drummer; Break Science; roots-rock act the Taylor Scott Band; Jesse Marcus & the Swan Song; hip-hop/funk band Mother Tongue; singer-songwriter Lauren Frihauf, a 2020 contestant on The Voice; and more.
Schelly Olson, assistant chief for Grand County Fire Protection District No. 1, will speak between acts about fire mitigation, preparation and survival.
“Schelly’s home was destroyed in minutes by the East Troublesome Fire as she was taking some much-needed time off after responding to the Williams Fork fire earlier that season,” Marcus says. “We will also be speaking with former NASA scientist and megafire expert Natasha Stavros about fire trends and how they relate to human behavior and climate.”
The Colorado Wildfire Recovery Show streams live from Dog House Music Studios on Saturday, April 3, from 4 to 11 p.m. Find a link to the livestream here.
