The Face the Music Tour 2022 launches to foster civic engagement through music and art across Arizona and Florida
MIAMI – Aug. 16, 2022 – Music has the power to move, inspire and connect. Face the Music Collective (FtMC) is taking the energy and emotion created during live musical performances and channeling it into direct action and volunteerism. That’s just what we are doing.
In August and September 2022, FtMC is producing live, in-person music events with established artists from diverse genres to support targeted, strategic and winnable campaigns in Florida and Arizona. The events will use the power of music to recruit and activate volunteers, to turn out voters in key elections.
FtMC’s novel approach unites artists and activists to build a coalition of allies to address pressing issues, by electing candidates dedicated to protecting our freedoms. The coalition includes poets and spoken word artists, singer/songwriters, bands, activists, and grassroots organizations, to endorse a slate of supported candidates. Using the FtMC tour as a mechanism, this cross-sectional coalition is connecting with a range of communities to encourage individuals to take the first step on the volunteer engagement ladder.
FtMC works with grassroots groups and political campaigns to drive civic engagement by encouraging audiences to volunteer. FtMC is partnering with EveryDistrict and Run For Something to target the most strategic and winnable races in top battleground states, including key Senate races, four Congressional and eight state legislative races in Arizona and Florida.
Tour info: https://bit.ly/ftm2022
Arizona Tour (Aug 19 – 23)
7 PM Fri, 8/19 – Brian Fernandez and Mariana Sandoval AZ Senate and House in LD 23
Rolls & Bowls 1627 Cesar Chavez St, San Luis, AZ 85349
7 PM Sat, 8/20 – Tom O’Halleran AZ-02, U.S. Congress, Kyle Nitschke LD-7 Senate and Coconino County Democratic Party
Murdoch Community Ctr: 203 E Brannen Ave, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
5:30 PM Sun, 8/21 – Jevin Hodge AZ-1, U.S. Congress
Chateau Luxe: 1175 E. Lone Cactus Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85024
7 PM Tue, 8/23 – Kris Mayes for Arizona Attorney General, AZ Senate: Jeanne Casteen and Christine Marsh, AZ House: Judy Schwiebert and Laura Terech
Valley Bar 130 N. Central Ave, Phoenix AZ 85004
Florida Tour Dates (Sep 2 -8)
7 PM Fri, Sept 2 – Val Demings FL, U.S. Senate
Luna Star Café: 775 NE 125th St Miami, FL 33161 Tickets encouraged but not required
Tickets: https://www.mobilize.us/valdemings/event/490631/
More info: https://fb.me/e/23mjIf7N5
7 PM Sat, Sept 3 – Val Demings FL, U.S. Senate
Le Club: 3500 West Dr, Deerfield Beach, 33442 Ticketed Event at Century Village
Tickets: https://www.mobilize.us/valdemings/event/490635/
More info: https://fb.me/e/2CycqPIYw
4 PM Sun, Sept 4 – Linda Thompson Gonzalez FL-100 House
Penny Lane Music Emporium: 3038 N Federal Hwy Suite M, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306
5 PM Mon, Sept 5 – Cindy Banyai FL-19, U.S. Congress and Howard Sapp FL-78 House
Buddha Live: 12701 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33919
7PM Tue, Sept 6 – Joy Goff-Marcil FL-10 Senate
Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall: 1016 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803
5PM Wed, Sep 7 – Let’s Talk Climate Coalition
Heartwood Soundstage: 619 South Main St, Gainesville, FL 32601
7 PM Thu, Sep 8 – Peggy Schiller, FL-1 Congress and Charlie Nichols FL-1 Senate
East Pensacola Heights Clubhouse: 3208 E Gonzales St, Pensacola, FL 32503
About the Artists
- Crys Matthews will perform three shows with us in Arizona. Crys is a hope-fueled, love-filled social justice singer/songwriter who is a dynamic performer and gifted songwriter.
- John Elliott, who will be joining us in Florida, has been releasing albums and performing in 49 of the 50 states and in Europe for 16 years. He has been likened to artists from Paul Simon to Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard, and has been featured on NPR, in PASTE Magazine, and on Neil Young’s “Living With War” website. He recently composed the score for “A Decent Home,” a feature length documentary about housing insecurity and wealth inequality.
- Elsten Torres, two-time Grammy nominee with numerous top hit songs.
- Arsimmer McCoy, vivid spoken word/poetry, writer, international poet, educator, creative programmer and cultural worker.
- José Mrocheck, songwriter from Orlando, FL and lead singer of alternative rock band Avionica. @avionicamusica
- Alexander Star, from Super Bowl commercials and primetime TV anthems to the United Nations and producing albums for teens in foster care, Emmy-nominated songwriter and performer Alexander Star utilizes music as a vehicle for positive impact.
- Annie Wenz is a multi-instrumentalist with a love for American and world roots music, and good ol’ classic Rock, Annie is known for her unique way of blending textures and funk, and as an activist who not only sings songs of social justice, but who walks the walk and constantly works for change.
- Billy Livesay of The Livesays will perform as a solo artist, demonstrating why he has a large South Florida following.
- Since 1994, The Weeds of Eden have performed in the North Central Florida area including arrangements of electric guitar, keyboard, bass, flute, violin, drums, and vocal harmonies interspersing instrumental jams. They cover a broad set of styles, including traditional, folk, R&B, Celtic, seasonal, rock and blues, Cowboy and Filthy Pirate songs.
- Comprised of some of Gainesville’s finest female musicians, Patchwork includes national and international award winning songwriters and players. For 30 years these bluegrass flavored folkies have lent their talents to many a mission-based non-profit, writing and singing about the environment, peace and humanity while bringing a spirit of fun and camaraderie to any event, along with their stellar harmonies.
- The Forefathers, Orlando-based original instrumental music fusing elements of Celtic, Rock, New Age and Jazz.
- Grupo Indiscretoz, three piece band based in San Luis, AZ
- Brant Miller, singer/songwriter and eight-time winner/finalist in the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, focuses on political and environmental activism. Brant’s new song “Get Out The Vote” and his “Where Now America” (#12 Folk DJ Chart, June 2020) are the perfect tunes for where we are.
- Pete Kronowitt, critically acclaimed singer/songwriter focused on activism. founded social justice collective, Face the Music.
- Piper and Nightingale, two stellar musicians team up to make music with a lot of heart and fun. With roots in rock, classical, folk and jazz, they sing and play originals and creative covers on ukulele, flute, kazoo, double bass and more.
- Lou Dominguez an award-winning Miami-based songwriter whose last release, “We The People” was in the top 20 on the folk-dj list.
About our Partners
EveryDistrict provides scorecards for state legislative races, endorses candidates and funds campaigns.
Run For Something recruits and supports young, diverse progressives to run for down-ballot races by advising, training and endorsing candidates.
Background
Over the past four years, FtMC has recruited more than 75 social justice musical artists across the U.S. and Canada, many with large national followings. FtMC has raised over $50K for grassroots organizations and campaigns through over 70 live and online performances, recruiting more than 160 volunteers for supported campaigns. FtMC’s 2019 Flip VA Blue Tour consisted of a 10-show tour which recruited 36% of show attendees, delivering 106 additional canvassing volunteers for our targeted campaigns. Studies consistently show that canvassing (knocking on doors and having in-person discussions with voters) is the single most effective field tactic to win elections, increasing turnout by seven percentage points.
After officially launching FtMC at the January 2020 Folk Alliance Conference, an international music industry conference in New Orleans, FtMC organized 31 online shows, garnering more than 30,000 views on social media. FtMC also produced an Equal Rights Amendment showcase, partnering with more than 40 women’s rights organizations across the U.S. and highlighted artists including Sean Lennon, Everclear’s Art Alexakis, Jefferson Starship’s Cathy Richardson, Crys Matthews, Ali Handal, Patricia Bahia among other artists. We successfully implemented common calls to action to align disparate grassroots organizations.
Pandemic Safety
We follow all federal and local pandemic rules and closely track health trends to ensure a safe environment, including vaccination and booster status, wearing masks and social distancing. We also openly welcome input from campaigns, attendees, venues and artists.
Touring and Climate Considerations
Touring to perform music contributes to increases in greenhouse gas in our atmosphere, and we are committed to ensuring we utilize efficient travel to lower our impact. We will use trusted partners to purchase carbon offsets.
Who We Are
Face the Music Collective are creative activists utilizing live performances to inspire individual action. We are committed to raising our voices for social justice, by connecting, collaborating, and building community with other artist-activists to help ensure a safe and just world for all. Our aim is to integrate creative activism with social justice advocacy, to galvanize audiences to get involved in the democratic process. FtMC encourages artists to build partnerships with organizations for good causes and co-develop calls to action to use in performances.