HAAM Benefit Day Features Performances at Various Locations
The bottom line: Musicians are an integral part of this city’s economy and culture. It’s a way of life for a lot of people here.
Many musicians are self-employed and earn their salaries by gigging around town or touring. It’s great to be doing something that you love, but the job can be a tough one, and it lacks cetain benefits that other people would typically expect from a full-time job, like healthcare. This can present some serious issues down the road, whether it’s the need for preventative health care or being prepared for the unexpected.
This is where the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) steps in. HAAM is a non-profit that works to provide access to affordable, basic health care services for Austin’s uninsured musicians. They’ve designated today as HAAM Benefit Day. Businesses all over Austin will donate 5% of their day’s proceeds to HAAM, and local musicians (including quite a few HAAM members) will perform at various locations in town to raise funds, too. You can check out:
Seth Walker at 5:30 p.m. at the Whole Foods Café, 525 N. Lamar
Colin Gilmore at 6 p.m. at Phil’s Icehouse, 5620 Burnet Rd.
Alyse Black at 6 p.m. at Romeo’s, 1500 Barton Springs Rd.
Gina Chavez at 7:45 p.m. at Romeo’s, 1500 Barton Springs Rd.
Combo Mahalo at 8 p.m. at Whip In, 1950 S. IH-35
And DJ’s too, yo: DJ Bigface spins at 5:30 p.m. at Birds Barbershop, 6800 Burnet Rd., and DJ Chicken George works the tracks at 5:30 p.m. at Birds Barbershop, 2110 S. Lamar. It’s a whole lotta music in a whole lotta places that you can enjoy today – and don’t forget to look for the HAAM donation boxes wherever you go to watch your favorite local artist.
You can visit the HAAM website for details, a list of participating businesses, and the day’s performance schedule. Represent, Austin. We are the Live Music Capital of the World. Let’s take care of those talented individuals who make our city so special.
