Options
A thank you from Given To Live.
About two and a half years ago the idea for Given To Live came to me. If I'd stopped and thought about it, what it would entail I'd never have started. To do what I want GTL to do, want to give to people takes money and contacts in the music industry. I had a little of one and none of the other and just went on a wing and a prayer.
Two years of plenty of prayers and I'm at an arena in Philly with the Swansons, Josh, Christina and Joshua, doing what GTL does; making dreams around live music come true. And for me, my dream for GTL to take someone to a Pearl Jam show was coming true.
Given To Live wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Pearl Jam. For its ethics and activism and for a fan base that travels to shows like we do. This travelling, this being part of something is integral to GTL, to what we want to create for the people we take to shows. I know fans of other bands travel but this is the band, the community I know and I see how much it means to so many.
It would be easy to buy tickets and put them in the post to a family. The reality is some of the people we've taken to shows wouldn't have been able to go if we didn't cover travel expenses. And this also was integral to starting GTL, the simple realisation that I have so much privilege in being able to go to a concert. I can work, I am physically able, I live in the developed world, I'm white and also I'm male. That's a lot of privilege I've taken for granted most of my life. I wanted to make it simple for others to go to a show.
Taking Joshie to Philly was a gift to GTL in so many ways. Every time we take someone to a show is humbling in so many ways. To be able to give such a gift, to be present at the show, to receive thanks for doing what most of us do without thinking. But because this was to a Pearl Jam show everything was magnified.
One of the most gratifying and unexpected things about GTL is how many people are touched by our stories. How many people can't wait to read about how someone's show was, did they love it, were parents or carers happy? We all see so much that's so difficult to process in life and it's great to see people engage in something joyful. To see followers say it made their day reading about whichever story...Pearl Jam, Slipknot, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Shane Filan. Whoever it is the beauty is always the same.
I try and write our stories in a way that brings a fuller picture who is going to the show, maybe a little about what it's like to be a young carer, a primary carer, a sibling of someone we're taking to a show. I think if one person looks at someone with a disability differently, understands a little more about being a carer, is more conscious about mental health then the story is written right. Yes, please let's all celebrate something wonderful happening and let's all, including me, learn something.
So, so very many of you have supported GTL on this particular journey, some also on others and I can't thank you enough. Donations, merch, time, support. Thank you all, too many names to mention, some upfront, others in the background but I assure not one forgotten.
It would be unfair to single out anyone but I do want to single out a group of you. The ones who saw Joshua and his mum and dad in Philly and came to say hi or sent messages to them or commented on a thread or facebook post that said seeing Joshua have such an incredible time made their night, the person who said they'd been to over 60 shows and that Joshua getting LBC and seeing him on the screen with Ed was their favourite PJ moment. This meant so much to Josh and Christina as it isn't easy taking care of Joshua every day, it isn't easy having the doubts about whether he'll be accepted. He was and that in turn accepted Josh and Christina and that is as important to GTL. We try to see the whole family, to work holistically.
Personally I met people I'd never have met and I'm so grateful for that. I find humans difficult sometimes, especially talking to strangers and new people. Talking to a stranger, from Germany, at MSG they asked me about GTL and how it started, why it started. We had time until the show so I told them the whole story. This lady looked at me and said 'So Pearl Jam changed your life.' It was true. I hadn't thought of it like that but yes Pearl Jam has changed my life. Without them I'd never have met Joshua, Declan, Sally, Warren or any of the others GTL has taken to a show. I wouldn't have seen something as beautiful as the support, love and incredible goodwill that's come from this community.
Thank you all. Thank you Pearl Jam. Thank you most of all to music because it's music that we love. Some of us may think PJ are the greatest band around but there's a young woman with cerebral palsy GTL took to see Bryan Adams 10 days ago who'll argue hard against that as will the 10yo with autism who will see Queen next month.
You see, we've just got to let the music do the talking. And Pearl Jam speaks our language but not everyone is fluent and to some it's a foreign language.
But it's all music.
Two years of plenty of prayers and I'm at an arena in Philly with the Swansons, Josh, Christina and Joshua, doing what GTL does; making dreams around live music come true. And for me, my dream for GTL to take someone to a Pearl Jam show was coming true.
Given To Live wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Pearl Jam. For its ethics and activism and for a fan base that travels to shows like we do. This travelling, this being part of something is integral to GTL, to what we want to create for the people we take to shows. I know fans of other bands travel but this is the band, the community I know and I see how much it means to so many.
It would be easy to buy tickets and put them in the post to a family. The reality is some of the people we've taken to shows wouldn't have been able to go if we didn't cover travel expenses. And this also was integral to starting GTL, the simple realisation that I have so much privilege in being able to go to a concert. I can work, I am physically able, I live in the developed world, I'm white and also I'm male. That's a lot of privilege I've taken for granted most of my life. I wanted to make it simple for others to go to a show.
Taking Joshie to Philly was a gift to GTL in so many ways. Every time we take someone to a show is humbling in so many ways. To be able to give such a gift, to be present at the show, to receive thanks for doing what most of us do without thinking. But because this was to a Pearl Jam show everything was magnified.
One of the most gratifying and unexpected things about GTL is how many people are touched by our stories. How many people can't wait to read about how someone's show was, did they love it, were parents or carers happy? We all see so much that's so difficult to process in life and it's great to see people engage in something joyful. To see followers say it made their day reading about whichever story...Pearl Jam, Slipknot, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Shane Filan. Whoever it is the beauty is always the same.
I try and write our stories in a way that brings a fuller picture who is going to the show, maybe a little about what it's like to be a young carer, a primary carer, a sibling of someone we're taking to a show. I think if one person looks at someone with a disability differently, understands a little more about being a carer, is more conscious about mental health then the story is written right. Yes, please let's all celebrate something wonderful happening and let's all, including me, learn something.
So, so very many of you have supported GTL on this particular journey, some also on others and I can't thank you enough. Donations, merch, time, support. Thank you all, too many names to mention, some upfront, others in the background but I assure not one forgotten.
It would be unfair to single out anyone but I do want to single out a group of you. The ones who saw Joshua and his mum and dad in Philly and came to say hi or sent messages to them or commented on a thread or facebook post that said seeing Joshua have such an incredible time made their night, the person who said they'd been to over 60 shows and that Joshua getting LBC and seeing him on the screen with Ed was their favourite PJ moment. This meant so much to Josh and Christina as it isn't easy taking care of Joshua every day, it isn't easy having the doubts about whether he'll be accepted. He was and that in turn accepted Josh and Christina and that is as important to GTL. We try to see the whole family, to work holistically.
Personally I met people I'd never have met and I'm so grateful for that. I find humans difficult sometimes, especially talking to strangers and new people. Talking to a stranger, from Germany, at MSG they asked me about GTL and how it started, why it started. We had time until the show so I told them the whole story. This lady looked at me and said 'So Pearl Jam changed your life.' It was true. I hadn't thought of it like that but yes Pearl Jam has changed my life. Without them I'd never have met Joshua, Declan, Sally, Warren or any of the others GTL has taken to a show. I wouldn't have seen something as beautiful as the support, love and incredible goodwill that's come from this community.
Thank you all. Thank you Pearl Jam. Thank you most of all to music because it's music that we love. Some of us may think PJ are the greatest band around but there's a young woman with cerebral palsy GTL took to see Bryan Adams 10 days ago who'll argue hard against that as will the 10yo with autism who will see Queen next month.
You see, we've just got to let the music do the talking. And Pearl Jam speaks our language but not everyone is fluent and to some it's a foreign language.
But it's all music.
Given To Live -
Latest story - Declan at Slipknot is up on the website now at www.giventolive.com along with Kayleigh at Foo Fighters, Tony at Stereophonics and more.
Inspired by Pearl Jam, making live music dreams come true.
Latest story - Declan at Slipknot is up on the website now at www.giventolive.com along with Kayleigh at Foo Fighters, Tony at Stereophonics and more.
Inspired by Pearl Jam, making live music dreams come true.
0
Comments
With that said, the story isn't over here with Josh's family's trip to Philly. It's just starting. More help to GTL coming your way soon. Very soon.
-EV
keep up the good work making people's dreams come true!!!!
livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=446
1995- New Orleans, LA : New Orleans, LA
1996- Charleston, SC
1998- Atlanta, GA: Birmingham, AL: Greenville, SC: Knoxville, TN
2000- Atlanta, GA: New Orleans, LA: Memphis, TN: Nashville, TN
2003- Raleigh, NC: Charlotte, NC: Atlanta, GA
2004- Asheville, NC (hometown show)
2006- Cincinnati, OH
2008- Columbia, SC
2009- Chicago, IL x 2 / Ed Vedder- Atlanta, GA x 2
2010- Bristow, VA
2011- Alpine Valley, WI (PJ20) x 2 / Ed Vedder- Chicago, IL
2012- Atlanta, GA
2013- Charlotte, NC
2014- Cincinnati, OH
2015- New York, NY
2016- Greenville, SC: Hampton, VA:: Columbia, SC: Raleigh, NC : Lexington, KY: Philly, PA 2: (Wrigley) Chicago, IL x 2 (holy shit): Temple of the Dog- Philly, PA
2017- ED VED- Louisville, KY
2018- Chicago, IL x2, Boston, MA x2
2020- Nashville, TN
2022- Smashville
2023- Austin, TX x2
2024- Baltimore
If you told me your board name I'm sorry but I forgot.
Latest story - Declan at Slipknot is up on the website now at www.giventolive.com along with Kayleigh at Foo Fighters, Tony at Stereophonics and more.
Inspired by Pearl Jam, making live music dreams come true.
You are amazing
Thank you
Eric
RED ROCKS 6-19-95
AUGUSTA 9-26-96
MANSFIELD 9-15-98
BOSTON 9-29-04
BOSTON 5-25-06
MANSFIELD 6-30-08
EV SOLO BOSTON 8-01-08
BOSTON 5-17-10
EV SOLO BOSTON 6-16-11
PJ20 9-3-11
PJ20 9-4-11
WRIGLEY 7-19-13
WORCESTER 10-15-13
WORCESTER 10-16-13
HARTFORD 10-25-13
Those that can be trusted can change their mind.
RED ROCKS 6-19-95
AUGUSTA 9-26-96
MANSFIELD 9-15-98
BOSTON 9-29-04
BOSTON 5-25-06
MANSFIELD 6-30-08
EV SOLO BOSTON 8-01-08
BOSTON 5-17-10
EV SOLO BOSTON 6-16-11
PJ20 9-3-11
PJ20 9-4-11
WRIGLEY 7-19-13
WORCESTER 10-15-13
WORCESTER 10-16-13
HARTFORD 10-25-13
Latest story - Declan at Slipknot is up on the website now at www.giventolive.com along with Kayleigh at Foo Fighters, Tony at Stereophonics and more.
Inspired by Pearl Jam, making live music dreams come true.
2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
2017: RRHoF 4/7 2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4 2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18
2022: MSG 9/11 2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
LOOKING FOR A SINGLE TICKET TO MSG NIGHT 2
The more who know, the more we can help get to shows
Latest story - Declan at Slipknot is up on the website now at www.giventolive.com along with Kayleigh at Foo Fighters, Tony at Stereophonics and more.
Inspired by Pearl Jam, making live music dreams come true.
I'm sure it gives back to you as much as you give to it. That's the beauty of giving.