| mattwesselmusic.com |
| matt's journal april 7, 2008 |
| The 8th Annual Concert For Life has come and gone. This year’s event was another smashing success as we drew a crowd of well over 1,000 and brought in $36,000 for the American Cancer Society – and counting! There are still a bunch of donations to be counted from various restaurants, as well as my contribution from CD sales. I wouldn’t be surprised if the final total was closer to $40,000 when it’s all said and done. But $36,000. Wow. It’s amazing to see that much money come out of one afternoon. It brings our total money raised for the ACS to just under $190,000. Hopefully next year’s CFL (yes, there will be one next spring!) will push us close to or over a quarter of a million dollars. That’s just mind-numbing to think about. Our first Concert For Life raised $6,000. Now we’re pulling in six times that amount. The credit goes to the 150 plus kids from the Warren High School FBLA program that worked tirelessly for a month to organize and run this event. They do EVERYTHING. From tickets to programs to advertising to raffles to silent auctions to money management (big job!) to ushering to set-up to technical work. You name it, they did it. The kids that I came into contact with (they were all wearing purple shirts that will soon be available on this site for purchase) were all excited and thrilled to be a part of such an inspirational afternoon. Our group sounded as good as we ever have. And I don’t say that arrogantly, but proudly. The group of musicians that I get to work with is made up of truly wonderful people. Molly, Kelly, Mike, Chris, Chad, Beth, Amy, Emily and Rob enjoy this event as much as I do. We have so much fun on stage and, in the many years of playing with one another, have really gelled musically. I can’t think of one song yesterday that didn’t sound like it was intended to. Some highlights of the show were the slideshows for “See Them” and “Kate’s Song”. Mike Przygoda was kind enough to let us play one of his songs. I’ve received many compliments on that one. I asked the crowd to join me in singing the very end of the Baseball Song, which they did. That was a thrill. And the electric guitar made its debut to the CFL. I’d never used one before in my arrangements, but we used it yesterday on Mike’s song (Dogg Day Afternoon) and on my song, “Falling In Love”. But I think the best part was the flow of everything. From early Sunday morning (even though Katie and I were frantically trying to finish the slideshow to “See Them”) until the end of the night, everything just sort of fell into place. As you might imagine, putting on this event from any angle can be kind of stressful. And I usually get nervous before show time and then throughout parts of the concert, to the point where I’m sort of relieved when it’s over. But this year was different. We were done setting up by about 3 p.m. Our sound check was over by 3:30. We went on a little after 4. I didn’t rush ANY of the songs. (Haha – I usually have a problem with that one.) And the show only ran 2.5 hours – exactly what we aim for each year. I was able to mingle with people before the show and during intermission. My new CD, “Concert For Life LIVE” made it to Gurnee in time for the concert and many people made sure to pick up a copy. It was just a wonderfully, peaceful, yet exciting afternoon. I had a really great time and enjoyed every minute of it. Of course, I always enjoy every minute of it, but this year seemed just a little less hectic. Maybe we’re just getting really good at the routine of everything! Another highlight of the show was the legitimate encore. We didn’t have any intention of doing one. The show runs so long as it is, we usually like to just let the crowd leave. But they just kept standing and clapping, so I kind of awkwardly asked the crowd if we were supposed to play another one. Someone shouted out, “Play another song!” So we did. We went into “Glory” and during the instrumental part at the very end, I was able to recognize each of the band members once last time. As the weeks go on, I’ll post fan reactions and photos. My new CD will be available for purchase this week, as well, and FBLA plans on selling their shirts from this year’s show on this site. So keep checking back for all of that. In the meantime, I want to leave you with the copy that I wrote for the inside flap of the new CD. It sums up what the CFL has meant for me and, in my opinion, the rest of the community. Thanks again for everyone who came out to the show yesterday. You guys were a wonderful audience and truly made all of us on stage feel appreciated and well-received. See you next year!! THE CFL TRADITION The Concert For Life began in 2001 when the FBLA program at Warren Township High School (where I graduated from in 1999), asked me to help put on a concert for Kate Pedersen, a student at the time who was battling cancer. I had been writing music for a few years that dealt with my experiences in losing my father to brain cancer in 1997 and it seemed like a perfect fit for both the school and myself. What it has since grown into is something that I find hard to describe. I often think of where I would be without the CFL. The show has become a part of who I am as a person and it was a part of my life during some of my more formative years. I can’t imagine my life without the memories of the CFL. And as much as the show has inspired me as a person and a musician, I know it has inspired thousands of others who have been to one of the concerts, whether as a volunteer or an audience member. This CD is dedicated to all of the students, teachers, volunteers, parishioners, musicians, benefactors and audience members that have helped grow the Concert For Life from an idea with immense potential into a fundraising model that generates just as much hope as it does money. It’s dedicated to anyone who ever sold a ticket, baked a brownie, edited a program, donated a raffle, tied a ribbon, copied a flyer, moved a piano, played a song, or applauded a performance. The CFL has never been just about the music or the money. The show’s focus is fellowship and its best measure of success is hope. Since the first show in February of 2001, this concert has served as a reason for people to gather in support of those who fight a fight that should never be fought alone. The CFL has shown the impact that a group of dedicated individuals can have on the world, no matter what our age. The fact that this album exists at all – that I had seven years of music to choose from – is a testament to the power of inspiration, the capability of dedication, and the promise of a vision. More than any one person or group, this CD is dedicated to the group that conceived and continues to sustain the CFL – the Warren FBLA program and its director, Sue Walker. But as you listen to the these songs, please remember in a special way the memory of the two people whose journeys inspired the show’s music and its mission: Kate Pedersen, who lost her fight in 2002, and Tom Wessel, my dad, who I think about every single day. |