October 1st, 2017 began like any other Sunday in Las Vegas. Many of the tourists checking out to beat the traffic back to Southern California or catch their flight back home. Myself, waking up, going to get my morning coffee, still feeling the exhilaration from a night on the town with some close friends. We spent the night before, seeing one of our favorite bands, Depeche Mode at the newly opened T-Mobile Arena in the heart of the Vegas strip. But the fun didn’t end there. We found ourselves back at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. Across from the Mandalay Bay was the Route 91 Harvest Festival. One of country music’s largest festivals. The buzz in the area was contagious, we couldn’t help but to mix it up with the crowd coming into the casino. Having a few drinks, sharing our concert experience and love for music.
No one could have expected what was to come that night. It’s still difficult to comprehend what happened. 58 innocent people tragically lost their lives that night as a gunman opened fire 32 stories up across the Las Vegas Strip. The sirens of cop cars and ambulances zipping past my apartment to Sunrise Hospital are forever embedded in my memory. As are the 58 victims from that night. The stories of people giving up themselves to save others, strangers selflessly helping the person next to them will be remembered. Through the tragedy and chaos that night the Vegas community came together like it has never seen before. Before the sun could rise, blood banks were booked and lines could be seen for miles. Friends, strangers, visitors came together for prayer and comfort. Collection drives, fundraisers, and service stations sprouted up across the valley. Weeks of tributes continued as the city mourned and began to try and heal.
One year later it is still hard to fathom what had happen, that the innocent lives lost were doing what we all love to do: experience our favorite artists live with others who share the same love. This sentiment was not lost on the many talented musicians and bands that Vegas produces. From the initial feeling of helplessness, to outrage, a group of artists came together and decided what best is to share their love for the victims, their city, and music. The result a beautiful collection of their favorite country songs in tribute to the 58 victims and Las Vegas. Listen at Bandcamp.
In one voice they showed what it means to be Vegas Strong!
In Loving Memory
