Focus is on mental health at all-day gig

Tiny Changes to raise money for two charities

A gig to raise awareness of mental health will be staged in Perth this weekend.

The charity fundraising ‘Tiny Changes’ will be held on Sunday, May 27 in the Green Room, and will look to raise awareness of mental health issues and raise money for two charities, Help Musicians UK and Perth-based Andy’s Man Club.

The idea for the gig came from Josef Lawrence from the band The Hypocrites. He said he has always felt mental health was an issue close to his heart, and after the singer of Frightened Rabbit Scott Hutchison took his own life, he wanted to take a stand.

He said: “It will be an all-day music festival and a film showing to raise awareness of mental health and to raise money for two mental health charities, Help Musicians UK and Andy’s Man Club.

“I had experiences with mental health and that has affected my decision to hold this gig. I have been close to people who have struggled with these things and taken their own lives, and people who have influenced me in the music industry like Scott Hutchison from Frightened Rabbit.

“In a lot of places there needs to be more of a conversation about mental health because there is a stigma with talking about it. This way we can focus on making music rather than focusing on all the doom and gloom. The bands who are headlining the event have played with Scott Hutchison, and this is a way for us to make something good out of something bad.”

Some of the bands who are set to play on Sunday include PAWS, Withered Hand, Dante, Tragical History Tour, and The Hypocrites themselves, amongst others.

Josef continued: “This is a cause close to my heart, especially Help Musicians UK. It is important to allow people to have space without feeling judged for having mental health issues.

“The line-up has just been finalised and it is going to be great. I am really excited to see everyone, it is set to be a really special event.”

A film about mental health issues in the music industry by Perth artist Kaya-Lana Fraser will also be shown at the gig.

Kaya’s film #YouAreNotAlone shows interviews with Perth bands talking about their own experiences with mental health and how playing music affects that. It will also look at what advice they would give to people who are struggling with mental health.

The film will be shown early on in the afternoon, and will then be put on social media.

On the day there will also be a raffle to help raise even more money for the charities, with prizes such as artwork, event tickets and band merchandise.

The Tiny Changes gig will run at the Green Room from 2pm until 11.30pm and there is a suggested donation of £5.