Streets are saying that anyone who’s anyone (or anyone that likes to support local journalism) will be dancing the night away this Friday Jan. 26 at the WOW Hall. The music venue is putting on a benefit concert featuring acoustic duo The Check, the alternative, bluegrass and classic rock of The Back 40 and the Americana harmonies of “favorite Eugene trio,” Wellington Drive.
There will also be an open mic from 7 pm to 8 pm, so if playing a show on the famous WOW Hall stage is on your bucket list, now’s your chance — spots limited to 10, sign up in advance.
As most of Oregon already knows, Eugene Weekly has been hit with major financial troubles after becoming a victim of embezzlement. The paper was forced to lay off its entire staff just days before Christmas, though a few of them still show up to write articles like the one you’re reading right now.
Since news of the embezzlement broke, local businesses and members of the community have rallied together with T-shirt sales, donations, benefit concerts and a variety of other fundraisers to help get the publication back on its feet. With all of the outpourings of support, EW is hopeful that it will once again fill those little red boxes with local news.
Director of the WOW Hall, Deb Maher “believes in EW’s ability to bounce back” so much so that when she heard EW needed help she mobilized the benefit concert. “What the EW and the WOW Hall do together is create a community ecosystem,” Maher says. “And when a local institution such as the EW goes down we have a hole in the fabric of our community.”
In addition to music and dancing on Friday you can also expect a raffle with prizes donated from local businesses with all of the proceeds going towards rebuilding the Weekly.
The WOW Hall has its own fundraising efforts underway as well — it is seeking to raise $50,000 to replace the venerable building’s roof, Learn more about the campaign here.