Busking for Change VANCOUVER

Although the Impressionable Youth blog is based in Toronto, I'm very excited to announce that Vancouver's Busking For Change event is happening on Friday December 18th at Library Square. Busking For Change is an amazing event in which a handful of celebrated musicians take to the streets with their instruments to raise support for War Child Canada, an organization that aids children in war-torn areas of the world. It's also a rare chance for music fans to catch a couple of their favourite artists playing stripped down acoustic sets in support of a great cause.

Here's the Vancouver Busking For Change 2009 lineup:

Carly Rae Jepsen
Elias
Said the Whale
Joe from DOA
The Painted Birds
The Februarys
Yukon Blonde
We Are The City
Jessie Farrell
The Zolas
Current Swell
JP from Maurice
Sam Bradley
Winston Hauschild
Chad Brownlee
[EDIT: More musicians have since been added to the lineup.]
Adaline
Benjamin Keith
Morgan Cameron Ross from Birds of Wales
Joseph Blood from Bend Sinister
The Goodbye Beatdown
The Racoons
[EDIT: Even more artists have been added!]
Henry and the Nightcrawlers
The Autumn Portrait
Sweetheart

I had an absolutely fantastic time during this year's event in Toronto and although Busking For Change has been part of the city's tradition for several years now, Vancouver is having its very first, thanks to their hometown band Elias, who coordinated this whole shindig.


In addition to making some great atmospheric rock, they've been busy calling in favours from their musical Vancouver buddies (see lineup above) in hopes of making this event a success. The guys are also asking you to show your support for War Child by signing a petition to increase the currently dismal amount that Canada's government puts toward overseas development assistance each year. In exchange for showing your support, the band will give you a free digital music bundle, which includes a couple of tracks and a video from their recent album, Lasting Distraction. Click here to sign the petition and to get some nice swag in the process!

Elias - Thousand Pieces (mp3) (amazon) (iTunes)

If you're in the Vancouver area, mark down December 18th on your calendars, gather up all of your spare change, witness some great live music and mingle among some of your favourite Canadian artists at Library Square. And of course, great big kudos goes out to all of the musicians, coordinators and volunteers that are helping to make Busking For Change Vancouver a reality!

To learn more about War Child Canada, visit their website, here.