Tune In, Turn On
Ladies Who Rock 4 A Cause Music Festival organizer Sharon Lia refers to her event as a “labor of love.” Given the time and work Lia has put into this 10-year celebration special event Saturday, Sept. 20 at ACX1 Studios, that’s a very accurate description.
Asked how Ladies Who Rock 4 A Cause first came to fruition, Lia replied, “after fighting for my voice in life and in music, I focused on my dream of starting a foundation that could help women in crisis by leveraging the unifying power of music.
“I had built a circle of female musical friends, and we were all excited about the idea of coming together for a cause,” she continued. “But before we could move forward, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“After two surgeries and during my second radiation treatment, I came across a coffee table book filled with photography and artwork created by cancer patients, caregivers and survivors,” Lia added. “One raw, powerful image of a woman with scars on her chest moved me to tears as I lay on the treatment table. In that moment, my heart broke open for how people suffer.
“When I left the treatment, I received a call about a young mother, Christy, who was battling Stage 4 breast cancer and in desperate need of help,” Lia said. “It felt like God was showing me that this was the path forward. I had already been wanting to do an event to help women in crisis, and I knew Christy would be our first recipient.
“I began working on the name, the branding, the logo, the taglines, the visuals and even the merch,” Lia added. “I wanted our logo to bring together wings, a heart, and a G-clef symbol – because the heart and the music are always at the center, and the wings represent both our ability to rise and to lift others. We launched our first Ladies Who Rock 4 A Cause event on October 17, 2015.”
The excellent musical lineup for the Ladies Who Rock 4 A Cause Music Festival 10-Year Celebration includes: Lisa Grace and Heartbreak Beat, Black Rose Rebellion, Quasimodo’s Bride, Seems Like Tuesday, Destinee Monroe, Camille K, Helen Bruner and Terry Jones, Pretty Poison featuring Jade Starling, and Sharon Lia Band.
Many of these performers are award-winning artists and several (Jade Starling, Destinee Monroe, Camille K) I’ve written about before in this column. There’s some serious talent here.
“Every year, we curate an all-female-fronted lineup that brings together Grammy-nominated artists, Billboard-charting acts, award winners, and emerging talent who share our heart,” said Lia when asked how she chooses the acts to perform. “Over the years we’ve been honored to feature powerhouse artists like Taylor Dayne, Tiffany, Jennifer Paige, and ROZES (best known for her hit collaboration with The Chainsmokers). Each year the lineup reflects both legendary and rising voices who believe in the mission. This anniversary year is extra special.”
Mandy Lee is the vocalist/front-person for Quasimodo’s Bride.
“Being part of Ladies Who Rock 4 A Cause means so much to me because it’s more than just being on stage and performing with my band, Quasimodo’s Bride; it’s about helping women in crisis,” said Lee. “It’s being part of a mission that makes this so special to me.
“The founder Sharon Lia, from the Grammy- nominated Sharon Lia Band, began this mission during her battle with cancer, and this year marks both 10 years of the festival and 10 years of winning over cancer – proof that hope has wings,” Lee added.
Quasimodo’s Bride is an alternative, pop rock band from right here in Atlantic City known for their unique blend of classic and modern rock, pop and pop-punk-inspired influences. Our pal Jerry Ryan at Elephant Talk Indie Music Festival is a big QB fan. I look forward to seeing them perform live for the first time on Saturday.
“The festival is more than just music – it’s a confluence of compassion, energy and hope. And the impact it has on the people involved is often the greatest gift of all,” said Lia. “My goal is to grow Ladies Who Rock 4 A Cause so that we can take more women under our wings, to support and raise awareness for their struggles, and to give them hope through the power of music.”
If You Go: Ladies Who Rock 4 A Cause Music Festival, 10-Year Celebration Saturday, Sept. 20.
Doors open 12:30 p.m. Music starts 1 p.m. at ACX1 Studios, The Pier at Caesars, 1 Atlantic Ocean.
Tickets/info: www.ladieswhorock4acause.org.
Rock The Donate Button: www.ladieswhorock4acause.org/donation-support
Elvis Costello at Borgata: The UK-born, longtime alt-rocker Elvis Costello is one of the most underrated rock stars of our time despite hits like “Watching The Detectives,” “Veronica,” “Oliver’s Army,” “Every Day I Write the Book” and more.
He plays the Borgata Event Center this Friday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. His show is themed, “Radio Soul: The Early Songs of Elvis Costello Performed by EC and The Imposters With Charlie Sexton.”
We plan on attending; review forthcoming. Tickets/info: https://borgata.mgmresorts.com/en/entertainment.html.
Doug is the owner/operator of Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, which since 1995 has been servicing nationally touring acts, and working record release campaigns for clients. Doug can be reached at ShoreLocalDoug@gmail.com
