OneRepublic Concert for Charity

Jenn Cohen | January 1, 2012 | 0 Comments

by Jenn Cohen

OneRepublic’s frontman, Ryan Tedder, brought together some of Denver’s best bands to raise money for his Good Life Foundation, which supports charities such as Food Bank of the Rockies, Denver Santa Claus Shop, and Children’s Hospital.

The sold-out event, held at the Ogden Theatre, hosted Bop Skizzum, members of the Flobots, Matt Morris, Brad Corrigan (Dispatch), Isaac Slade and Joe King from The Fray, as well as OneRepublic. Each band played an approximately three-song set, including both original and holiday songs, with OneRepublic playing an extended set.

The always-happy Kirk Montgomery (9News) emceed the evening, at one point auctioning off an AEG laminate, good for two people, at every Ogden and Bluebird show for 2012. Three people bid $5,500 each, raising an additional $16,500 for Good Life, and VIP passes were available to fans that wanted to stay for the meet and greet after the show, with those proceeds going to the foundation as well.

In a message from Tedder, he explains the reason for starting up The Good Life Foundation:

“We’ve had the opportunity as a band in the last six years to travel around the world and witness firsthand some of the worst and best living situations on earth. From shanty towns in Africa without electricity or water, to the worst neighborhoods in our own backyards. It has reinforced our fundamental belief that no matter what family, city, country, or economic environment you are born into, you deserve the right to a Good Life. The OneRepublic Good Life Foundation is a vehicle for us as a band to use our resources and networking to provide relief for a multitude of causes on a global scale. One day it’s providing clean water, the next, it’s medicine or food for kids in need. The goal is, in the end, to do what we can, while we can, to ensure as many people in this world have a chance at living a Good Life.”

The night was kick started by the flavorful funk of Bop Skizzum, followed by Denver faves, [some members of] the Flobots, then Matt Morris, who played his original holiday song, “My First Snow,” and blew me away with his rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine,” (Apparently, that was the first time he’s ever played it live—well done, sir.)

Another first? Slade stepped away from the microphone and silenced the house for an unplugged version of “How to Save a Life,” stating, “Denver was the first state that learned this song.”

Finishing up the night, the bands united on stage to sing Jingle Bells, and Tedder gave a shout out to Tim Tebow saying something like, It’s been 2011 years, and I didn’t think the second coming was ever going to happen. Then he knelt down and, yes, he Tebowed,, igniting the energy of the fans even further. Check out OneRepublic with Dick Clark this New Year’s Ever! Congratulations guys!

And look for this to become an annual event, as Tedder alluded to the fact that they’d like this to be a new holiday tradition.