On Saturday five bands, all with ties to Northern California fire stations, will be holding a fill-the-boot-style fundraising event at The Bank on J Street in Sacramento to benefit the liaison program with the Firefighters Burn Institute.
The program at the Sacramento-based Firefighters Burn Institute helps firefighters and families of firefighters with things like hotel stays and the handling of requests from reporters after an incident in which a firefighter is injured.
Erik Falkenstrom lives in Placerville and is a captain with the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. He and a group of other firefighters have been holding similar benefits around the Bay Area for seven years and wanted to host one in Sacramento this year.
He says some venues are caught off guard by a group of bands wanting to play without compensation.
"Initially they ask, ‘Okay, so what do I have to pay the bands?’ I say, ‘Nope all the bands are free,’” Falkenstrom said.
The institute says it is thrilled with the idea.
“This is the first time for us,” said institute events manager Kristen Graham. “We’re really excited, we understand we will have a pretty good turnout.”
Admission is free. Falkenstrom says any donations are welcome.
“Whatever you feel is appropriate for you,” he said. “If you have a couple thousand dollars, great. If you have $5, great.”
The burn institute is a nonprofit established in 1973. That was a year after firefighter Gene LaVine and eight family members were among 22 killed when a plane crashed into Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour in Sacramento.
Falkenstrom says Defenders of Midtown, Slim Chances, King Hippo, Common Chaos, and Hard Luck Daddies will perform a wide array of music including “islandy grunge,” country rock, reggae and covers.
The concert starts at 5 p.m.
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