Day of 1,000 Musicians is coming
It’ll be a jam for the ages at Firemen’s Park this July.
Organizers are putting the call out for 1,000 amateur and professional singers/musicians to come together for a huge, outdoor mini concert. Dubbed the Day of 1,000 Musicians, the musical horde will play six songs in unison, capping a day full of events.
Co-organizer Paul Lemire, president of local ad agency VideoSign Inc., says he was browsing online one night when he was blown away by a 2015 video of 1,000 musicians gathering in an open field in Cesana, Italy to play the Foo Fighters’ “Learn to Fly” in an attempt to get the band to play their town.
It worked — four months later the Foo Fighters played a 27-song concert for many of the same musicians in the video.
Lemire and co-organizer John Fillion of Rev Publishing are hoping for a similar-sized event July 21 to benefit Project SHARE and local music charities.
“When I saw that, I go ‘Man, that would be something to do in Niagara Falls’,” says Lemire.
Firemen’s Park was chosen for its sheer size — in addition to the 1,000 musicians, Lemire expects thousands more to show up to watch. Now the “logistics” are being worked out, with the group approaching city council Tuesday for help shuttling people to and from the park, along with using the Gale Centre as a staging area.
Musicians can sign up at www.dayof1000musicians.com with two options: Free, or a $10 fee which includes a commemorative T-shirt.
The show requires 250 guitarists, 250 bassists, 250 drummers, 100 brass musicians and 150 singers.
The throng will perform six songs starting at 6 p.m. — AC/ DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Want to Rock and Roll),” Tom Cochrane’s “Big League,” Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69,” Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” 54-40’s “Nice to Luv You” and Chilliwack’s “Fly at Night.”
“The songs that we’re playing are all three chords, so even kids can come and play,” says Lemire. “Anybody who can play three chords basically can play this.”
Lemire says several musicians, including one who performed the Foo Fighters song in Italy, have already registered.
“A lot of professional musicians too are interested. We’re going to have a conductor, we’re going to have assistant conductors on the ground. It’s for people of all ages.”
The day will include live music leading up to the show, vendors, food trucks and more. There will also be a “big name” to perform after the 1,000 musicians.
The entire day will be free, Lemire adds. In addition to Project SHARE collecting non-perishables, any funds raised will go towards music for therapy programs and charities helping under-privileged children afford musical instruments.
In the event of rain the show will be pushed to July 22.