Beemo Performed at Space Bar.

I was sketching at Pints for Pulse, a fundraiser held at Festiva1 Park (2911 Robinson Street, Orlando FL). in the Milk District. The fundraiser had every micro brewery offering samples for a set admission price. Local bands performed on the main stage. I sketched The City Song Players as they performed “Finger on the Pulse” for the first tin in public. After hearing that song, I decided I had to use it as the soundtrack for a three minute short film I assembled using all the sketches I did of all the vigils and fundraisers after the Pulse tragedy. I’ve been documenting Orlando’s attempts to heal. The arts community has bee instrumental in helping the community heal.

Wendy Wallenberg whisked in behind me as I finished up my sketch. She insisted that I needed to sketch a note event in the more urban and hip area of the Milk District. Her Porsche was parked nearby and she offered to drive me. The drive was only three or four blocks, but it was the scariest drive of my life. Wendy is a frantic speed freak of a driver. It felt like we made the whole trip on two wheels after we careened through the first curve. When skidded to a stop in front of the Space Bar. She told me that I needed to sketch an artist that does paintings with his teeth. I wandered among the tents in the parking lot but didn’t notice anyone painting with their teeth. So I went into the Space Bar and watched Beemo performing. The lead guitarist’s parents were there and the watched as I did the sketch. It was a fun, upbeat performance. Then I walked the few blocks back to Festival Park.

Finger on the Pulse.

At Pints for Pulse, The City Song Players performed Finger on the Pulse for the first time since it had been recorded a week before.  Shadow Pearson was on piano, and Eugine Snowden got on stage to help with vocals. The song has been picked up by a subsidiary of Sony and paperwork is still be in filled out.  The song is just two minutes and forty seven seconds as Shadow explained, it is we radio friendly. All sales of the song are now be in donated to onepulsefoundation.org.

A news camera was trained on the stage, and on c again, I felt like I us witness to history.  All the beer tents were far away, so no one was crowded up to the stage. There was no refuge from the sun. I sketched fast hoping not to burn to the complexion of a lobster. Before I knew it, the song was sung and the beer soaked crowd cheered its approval. Even as we numbed ourselves with beer, art can still punch through reminding us of what cause we are drinking for. Actually, I didn’t drink a sip. My cause was to witness and sketch this performance.