Thirty-six people who perished in a devastating fire at Oakland's Ghost Ship warehouse were honored at a benefit concert Wednesday that drew big-name performers to the Fox Theater.
The lineup included Hieroglyphics, Rogue Wave and Primus, all of whom donated their time to the cause.
San Francisco-based indie rock band, Geographer, was the first to hit the stage.
"Tonight we are here to celebrate, remember and acknowledge those that we lost,” they said.
Concert-goers poured into the Fox Theater to help raise money and increase awareness about the needs of Oakland's arts community.
The three-alarm fire broke out at a Fruitvale warehouse — where an artists' collective lived — during an electronic music party on Dec. 2.
“It resonated on so many levels," Jordan Kurland said. "We’ve all been in those spaces — been at shows and performed at shows. It resonated on how much of a struggle it is to be a 'starving artist.'”
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One-hundred percent of the proceeds from Wednesday's concert will be donated to the Gray Area Foundation for the Arts' Oakland fire relief fund. So far, the foundation has raised nearly $700,000 — and the contributions continue to pour in.
“The immediate need is to provide support to the families and the victims, and the longer term is advocacy and conversation about how to support the arts community in the Bay Area," Kurland said.
