I love the electric feeling of listening to music played live. However, I had no idea how much more exciting it would be to attend a benefit concert — supporting a common cause brought new levels of unity to the audience. At Noise for Now’s benefit concert on Sept. 6 where proceeds funded abortion access, all of those emotions were kicked into high gear. The concert I attended raised funds for CHOICES Center for Reproductive Health and Access Reproductive Care Southeast, two independent reproductive health organizations based in the South.
Before the show began, I had the opportunity to speak with Amelia Bauer, Noise for Now Executive Director and contributing artist, about her work with the organization and upcoming projects. Noise for Now was formed to connect artists and musicians with a way to support reproductive rights by holding events like benefit concerts and online art auctions. Bauer believes relationships with independent abortion centers like CHOICES Center for Reproductive Health and Access Reproductive Care Southeast are especially important to foster.
“Independent abortion providers provide the majority of abortions in the U.S., so three out of five abortions happen at an independent clinic, ” Bauer said. “It’s really important to fund them and boost them because there are also a lot of fake clinics that are aping independent clinics.”
As of publication, Noise for Now has raised over $1.2 million for 48 local-level reproductive health organizations across the country. Bauer hopes to increase the impact Noise for Now has already made while also expanding the organization’s role in the music industry by creating a record label to produce benefit compilations.
Noise for Now’s Nashville benefit concert featured 12 local artists partnering with the organization. The lineup included many Nashville-based artists like Eric Slick, Michaela Anne, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Tristen, Fancy Hagood, Kyshona, Caroline Spence, Katie Pruitt, Jamie Lidell and Rob Berger, Charlotte Sands, Langhorne Slim and Nikki Lane.
I have never been to a more interactive concert. The high level of audience engagement made the experience all the more fun and welcoming. At one point, pop-punk artist Charlotte Sands asked the crowd to help her sing a song. Other artists spoke straight to the audience like they were close friends. I felt like I was actively participating in the show all night.
Although the entire concert was a night to remember, my favorite parts came near the end. During his set, Langhorne Slim climbed down from the stage to sing directly to the crowd. His time performing was full of direct interactions with attendees.
To close out the night, country artist Nikki Lane performed. Many other performers from throughout the night joined her to perform a final song together to close her set. This touching moment helped bring a greater sense of unity to the night.
My time at Noise for Now’s benefit concert was phenomenal. The audience felt more connected with each other than any other concert I have attended, creating a welcoming environment that made the music even better. I left the concert with many new songs added to my playlist and hope to attend more Noise for Now events in the future.
