Delhi man organizes online charity concert
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Darrin Walters of Delhi is jumping into the business of online event promotions.
His first event, Charity Fest, is Sunday, March 28. It’s a seven-plus hour online music concert in support of the Canadian Mental Health Association – Oxford.
“This is my first event,” said Walters. “I woke up about a week and a half ago and said ‘I have to throw a concert for charity.’ I didn’t really think about it… it’s just something I have to do.”
He posted his intentions on Facebook and bought the web domain for Live World Wide (liveworldwide.ca).
“I searched up some Facebook musician groups and I put a post ‘Does anybody want to play a concert for charity?’ It was actually overwhelming the response I got.”
Bands responded from as close as London and as far as Holland, South Africa and Nigeria.
“There were bands from all over… in just two days I had 75 bands contact me from all over the world. It was phenomenal.”
He narrowed his Charity Fest line-up to The Faithful Syndicate (South Africa), Terror Garden (New York), Last Minut (New Jersey), Mz. Chocolat (Oklahoma), Percussor (Pennsylvania), Kricketkush (Toronto), Renegade Nation (United Kingdom), Masil (Nigeria) and Gerco Klein (Holland). He will also feature a local band.
Two groups – Kricketkush and Mz. Chocolat – are hip hop, said Walters, who has listened to all of them. He said they include ‘heavier rock,’ and a couple are softer (Gerco Klein and Masil Green).
“It’s kind of a mix of everything,” he said, thanking all of the artists.
“If I could individually name everyone I would – and thank you for the support on my Facebook, it’s amazing for sure.”
Sean Grant, a veteran stand-up comedian with 12 years experience touring and showcasing around the world, will be the host. Grant has been featured on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and TruTV’s Laff Tracks.
Walters decided to go with a local charity for the first concert, which will be streamed on social media platforms.
“It is a free concert. I will have a donation link up – you can click on that (social media) platform’s button and it will take you right to the donation page of the charity.”
The March 28 concert is only the first, said Walters, noting he already has two other events planned in April.
“And I probably have enough bands that I could go all summer. I think a lot of it has to do with the COVID, everybody’s kind of stuck inside and looking for something to do. And it (charity concert) seems like the right thing to do I guess.”
A singer, songwriter and musician, Walters occasionally gets together with a few friends in Delhi to play around a bonfire ‘just for fun.’
“I played (guitar) every day… until I started organizing this.”
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