PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ — Dierks Bentley, The Band Perry and other artists teamed up and raised a reported $476,000 with the “Country Cares Concert,” a benefit performance that took place here on July 22. All proceeds are going to the United Phoenix Firefighters, for direct distribution to surviving family members of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots from the Prescott Fire Department who lost their lives fighting a wildfire near here on June 30, 2013.
“Tickets went on sale on Friday (July 12); they were sold out within five hours,” noted Joe Spitzer, who operates Peaks Audio out of Flagstaff, AZ, of the event, set to take place at Tim’s Toyota Center, a 5,100-seat arena in Prescott Valley.
Along with Peaks Audio, Clearwing Productions pledged its support for the event, Spitzer said, with the Milwaukee office backing the Phoenix location’s support. “We initially contacted them about renting gear for this,” Spitzer noted. “They immediately were on board and for the cause.”
Clearwing’s participation expanded the gear package from “a simple 96K PAR package” to a moving light rig incorporating Vari*Lite VL3000’s, [Martin] MAC Aura’s, MAC 350’s, curved truss, and a design by one of Clearwing’s best lighting technicians,” Spitzer noted, adding that Clearwing also provided audio gear and that Studio Instrument Rentals (SIR) is providing backline and an assist with IEMs.
Prescott Pro Sound and John Malott also provided a video system that includes two standing cameras at FOH, two roaming cameras, a switcher and two 12×21′ projection screens for inside the venue; they’ve also been in touch with Cox and CBS on doing a live stream of the event on the Internet. “John Garberson with Creative Backstage will be providing an LED Video Wall for the front entrance of the venue with the live feed as well,” Spitzer added, shortly before the event.
Other event supporters included Southwest Stagehands, which provided riggers, and Spitzer also credited “Kerry Dunne and Reed Glick with R Entertainment Company are the promoters and have been at the heart of making this concert happen.” He also credited his business partner, Jason Moeller, for handling the production advance.
Other key sponsors included radio stations KMLE Country (107.9 FM) and KAFF Country (92.9 FM).
