For all intents and purposes, and for one night only, the Embarcadero Marina Park South will become the Love Shack.
Sure to satisfy any and all '80s music lovers, the B-52's -- the iconic Athens, Georgia, New Wave/pop/rock & roll band known for hits like "Love Shack," "Rock Lobster" and "Song for a Future Generation" -- are set to headline the scenic venue on the water with special guests (and fellow '80s bands) the Fixx and the English Beat on Sunday, Aug. 14. Perhaps the best part? The net proceeds from the concert will be donated to help fund the San Diego AIDS Memorial.
Tickets went on sale on March 25 and are still available through Ticketmaster.com ($100 each). Hefty price tag? Sure. Worth it? Definitely.
Back in March, San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer announced a task force responsible for raising money to create a San Diego AIDS memorial. Helmed by Katherine Stuart-Faulconer and San Diego Human Relations Commission chair Nicole Murray-Ramirez, the force will raise funds for a place of remembrance and reflection for friends and family of the 8,000 or so San Diegans who have died from AIDS.
"After years of losing friends and loved ones, it is time for us to reflect upon the fight against the stigma and bigotry that people with AIDS experienced over the last 30 years," Ramirez said in a press release.
Aside from raising money (nearly $30,000 is needed), the task force will determine a location for the memorial, solicit designs and prepare an unveiling ceremony.
The concert is a perfect example of community and music joining forces for the greater good. An official San Diego AIDS Memorial is long overdue and what better way to support the effort than by joining together in solidarity and enjoying the sights and sounds of some of music's most beloved pop groups. After all, isn't "the love shack is a little old place that we can get together"? Count us in.
The B-52s, the Fixx and the English Beat play the Embarcadero Marina Park South on Sunday, Aug. 14, to benefit the San Diego AIDS Memorial Fund. Purchase tickets here.
Dustin Lothspeich books The Merrow; plays in Diamond Lakes and Boy King; and runs the music-equipment-worshipping blog Gear and Loathing in San Diego. Follow his updates on Twitter or contact him directly.
