Stagehand I Love Live fundraiser

Photo Credit: Stagehand

Stagehand is launching a Christmas fundraiser, #ILoveLive3 to benefit live event production and touring professionals.

These fundraiser events always feature special items to bid on, with past live events featuring Liam Gallagher’s Les Paul guitar, Glastonbury Festival tickets, and a signed Dave Grohl DW ICON Snare Drum to help raise funds for stage crew impacted by the pandemic. This year will see signed set lists from star-studded acts available for bid.

Those set lists include Paolo Nutini, Prodigy, Nile Rodgers, Bring Me The Horizon, Duran Duran, James Bay, New Order, Natalie Imbruglia, Everything Everything, Blossoms, Wet Leg, Maisie Peters and The 1975. Other items up for bids include a drum skin from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and unsigned memorabilia from Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” tour.

“Our crew are a vital part of our touring activities; we couldn’t do it without them,” adds Jonathan Higgs, frontman of Everything Everything. “I’d encourage all live music fans to get involved and give back to the people behind the scenes.”

“In a high-pressure industry that runs primarily on a skilled, freelance workforce, ensuring that we look after both our own well-being and that of our peers on the road is critical,” adds Lighting Designer Tom Campbell of MIRRAD. “Our sector has been through a lot over the last few years, and with support from charities like Stagehand, we have got through it. I hope people support this fundraiser and continue to acknowledge the backstage ecosystem that is part of every musical performance.”

Research has found that touring professionals are 5-10 times more likely that the general population to experience mental health challenges. They face industry-specific challenges such as irregular sleep patterns, performance pressures, and demanding traveling schedules.

Stagehand is at the forefront of recognizing the importance of mental health in the industry and has been actively funding Mental Health First Aid Training courses since 2017. The charity supports training and retraining activities due to illness or injury, offering bursaries for freelance workers to undertake Mental Health First Aid training through its delivery partner, Music Support. Stagehand encourages all live event productions to have Mental Health First Aiders allocated within their crew of a ratio to 1MHFA to every 20 crew members.

#I Love Live 3 launches through Crowdfunder on Friday 1st December, with tickets priced at £5 to remain accessible to all music fans. The prize draw is scheduled for Friday 5 January 2024, when winners will be announced. Entries will close on Friday 22nd December.