The New Zealand Roady For Roadies walk is finally back and will happen once again on Friday 20th March 2020!
In 2018, approximately 150 music-minded people took on the 16km Coast to Coast walk from Onehunga to Auckland’s downtown in raising over $20,000 to support road crew “roadies” who may have fallen on hard times financially, mentally or physically and have no union support to turn to here in New Zealand. Roady For Roadies is a relaxed family orientated day which does not discriminate and provides a safe a friendly environment for everybody to enjoy themselves while assisting those less fortunate. And importantly it’s a social walk, not a race or competition.
Roady For Roadies was proposed by music industry professionals Morgan Donoghue & Brent Eccles and is administered by MusicHelps, a long-standing charity that develops and supports projects that use the power of music to help & heal New Zealanders in need. MusicHelps also provides vital support and hardship assistance to kiwi music people and their families in times of crisis.
“I’ve relied on roadies for all of my career in music so far as a drummer, manager and promoter, probably about time I did something for them” – Brent Eccles, Eccles Entertainment
“I started in the music industry by helping mates move their gear around. I moved on from being a roadie to being a manager (a glorified roadie). Brent and I walk most mornings and wanted to do something for an important group of people in the music industry that isn’t well supported at the moment. I look forward to walking Coast to Coast with you.” –Morgan Donahue, Joint Management
“The last Roady For Roadies was a great success and huge fun for everyone that took part! It provided vital funds that MusicHelps needs to help kiwi roadies and crew experiencing great hardship and distress as a result of illness and injury. Roadies and crew are dedicated to bringing us all the live music memories that we treasure and stay with us forever. I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone that is a fan of live music coming together on Friday March 20 to make sure essential support is available when needed for these behind the scenes heroes!” – Peter Dickens – GM MusicHelps
Roadies and production crew are the often unseen but essential backbone of the live music events that we all enjoy, but these roles can take their toll on those involved. An industry survey by The NZ Music Foundation (now MusicHelps) of crew and roadies in 2016 showed that while 58% report struggling with the intense pressures of live music work, more than 40% also face issues with bills and finances that impact on their daily lives. While the shows are the obvious highlight, life in live music can be a very hand-to-mouth existence and when illness, distress or hardship occur, life can get very hard, very quickly.
The money raised will go to MusicHelps, a unique kiwi charity that provides tailored online, on the phone and in person professional counselling support free of charge to New Zealand roadies and crew experiencing distress and well-being issues. The charity also offers emergency financial assistance packages to live production people and their families who are suffering with illness, injury and hardship.
Tickets for the 2020 RoadyForRoadies walk will go on sale Tuesday 21 January 12:00pm from Ticketmaster. There are three different price levels and participants can purchase which ever one suits their pocket.
- $25 (I’d like to help out)
- $50 (I’d like to give a bit more)
- $100 (my boss is paying).
The walk will end at The Tuning Fork (Spark Arena), where refreshments will be provided. Each participant will receive a free t-shirt.
To make a straight donation to the cause, you can do so via our dedicated Roady For Roadies Give A Little page here. Donations can also be made via internet banking to MusicHelps, Kiwibank 38-9011-0831927-01. Please include “Roady” as the reference and drop them a line at info@musichelps.org.nz so they can properly account for your donation.
You can help us get the word out via social media. Post your best black t-shirt images and roady stories and share these with your colleagues, friends and fans on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Please use the hashtag #roadyforroadies, tag @MusicHelpsNZ and include the donate link: https://givealittle.co.nz/donate/cause/roady-for-roadies
We’d like to acknowledge The Tuning Fork, Ticketmaster, Phantom Billstickers, LPATM & Muse Creative & who are all providing services at no charge.
The walk will be monitored by a volunteer crew, medic, a chemist and a mixologist. So buy yourself some new walking shoes and put your hand in your pocket for this worthy cause for an often forgotten sector of the NZ concert/ touring business.
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