‘More than just a concert’: local restaurant hosts benefit concert for LA wildfire relief

This is a cross-published piece with Mustang News, more information can be found here.

San Luis Obispo’s Rod & Hammer Rock restaurant turned up the volume on Sunday for Songs of Solace, a sold-out benefit concert raising money for Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts. 

In collaboration with SLO Brew, the eight-hour event featured nine local bands and musicians performing pro bono, with all proceeds from ticket sales and Wildfire Resilience Straight Bourbon purchases going to displaced residents and first responders through the California Fire Foundation.

SLO Brew Entertainment Director Ryan Orr was inspired to organize the event after seeing the devastation and wanting to help those affected. Partnering with Rod & Hammer Rock, he gathered a lineup of local bands, including The Vibe Setters and The Mother Corn Shuckers, eager to contribute.

“It just hit me so hard, like a ton of bricks, and I really wanted to try and do something and give back,” Orr said. “I hit a handful of bands up, and every single one that I asked said yes, which is amazing. It’s an awesome example of how incredible of a community we have here locally.”

While on stage in between songs, Andrew Wise, Zongo All-Stars saxophonist and wooden flute player, described his shock in seeing images of the decimation, garnering nods of agreement from the crowd.

Performers Chris Beland and Ryan Delmore, although assigned separate set times, joined forces to jam over an hour together as a team, playing songs for all ages like Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon.”

“It is just a great day to come out and be with good friends, listen to good music and have a great time,” concert-goer Cheryl Edgar said.

For Orr, the sold-out event and large crowd was a powerful testament to the community’s generosity.

“Today is more than a concert,” he said. “It’s a symbol of us coming together as a community supporting our brothers and sisters down south.”