BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Boston band Bearfight was supposed to perform at Lansdowne Pub by Fenway Park on St. Patrick's Day, but that show was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
That's when lead singer Chris Mathison got the idea to stream a performance from his living room, raising money for the pub's employees.
"I set up a guitar and a couple of cameras in the living room, and we decided we were gonna broadcast and donate the virtual tips to all the bartenders," Mathison told WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas. "We put a Venmo link up on the screen, and people donated via the Venmo app."
With his acoustic guitar, Mathison and his lead guitarist together raised $7,000 on St. Patrick's Day.
"The pub staff was right on board, they were super excited about it," he said.
According to the band's website, they're not a wedding band—"We're a rock band that does weddings." They've made wedding website The Knot's "Best ff Weddings Hall of Fame."
Because of the success, they plan on doing it again soon.
"Maybe next week, maybe the week after," Mathison said. "I do manage another band called Legends of Summer, and they are broadcasting tomorrow. They're really big in South Boston, so they're going to raise money for a bunch of the bartenders in the South Boston area."
Legends of Summer released a promo for that live stream, which will happen at 5 p.m. Saturday:
Mathison said projects like this are a "new normal" for everyone, and gave some advice for what others can do right now.
"We're all kind of feeling our way through it together, so just be kind to each other, look out for each other, and if you see someone who needs help, do what you can to help out," he said.
WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@JamesRojasWBZ) reports
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