NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – Artist For Action To Prevent Gun Violence, an artist-led coalition that promotes unity in the prevention of gun violence, is launching a series of live events, including a performance by Bush at Irving Plaza in NYC on Friday (September 22).
Presented by Artist For Artist (AFA), the first concert will take place at Irving Plaza and feature Bush and special guests. This launch event is designed to raise awareness for Artist For Action To Prevent Gun Violence and Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
The concert will be the first in a series of national events in NYC, which will include a concert in December to celebrate the release of the film that directly led to the creation of Artist For Action To Prevent Gun Violence: A Father’s Promise, as well as one next summer at Central Park SummerStage around Gun Violence Awareness Month.
Directed by Rick Korn and Executive Produced by Sheryl Crow, the film is the story of professional musician Mark Barden, whose life changed instantly when his son Daniel was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary. Mark lost all joy in music and promised to do everything in his power to help prevent gun violence so that nobody ever has to feel his and his family’s pain. He co-founded Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit organization that takes a holistic approach to ending school shootings and gun violence by teaching the warning signs of violence and how to get help. The film will be released this December with another concert that will be part of the AFA series.
“This needs to stop,” said Peter Gabriel. “So many needless deaths. So much suffering. It just needs a little common sense.”
According to the Gun Violence Archive, 2023 is likely to be the deadliest year of gun violence on record, with the United States now averaging more than one mass shooting a day. AFA’s mission is to prevent gun violence by forming a coalition of musicians to act and help reduce and eliminate the epidemic of gun violence in America. The easy-to-use platform, available here, makes it simple for artists to activate fans to get involved with gun violence prevention and other life-enriching grassroots organizations in their communities and take direct action.
“As a father, I am staggered by the gun violence in America, and as a musician, I am fortunate enough to be able to take a stand against it. This is a human rights crisis out of control. There have been more than 400 mass shootings in the US in 2023 – from stores to football games to parades to schools. Every person, especially children, deserves the right to be and feel safe,” said Gavin Rossdale of Bush.
About: Led by musician Mark Barden and including artists Sheryl Crow, Billie Eilish, Peter Gabriel, Karen Fairchild (Little Big Town), Nile Rodgers, Bush, Rufus Wainwright, Pixies, LP, Bootsy Collins & Funk Not Flight, Old Crow Medicine Show, Halestorm, Rozzi, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Sofi Tukker and more, the AFA coalition is designed to drive people to volunteer, donate and vote to tend the epidemic of gun violence.
