The iconic post-hardcore band Thrice will be making its final stop on it current tour at the House of Blues in San Diego on on Nov. 11.
Thrice's latest record, Major/Minor, could be considered career-defining, if every album leading up to it wasn't also touted as such. They're a band that continues to challenge themselves by defying genres and experimenting with new sounds while not losing sight of their massively loyal fan base. The consistency throughout their evolution has most often been lyrically based -- examining human suffering, life and death, freedom and more Christian leanings has always been their forte, and that's what has attracted legions of young people in search of some kind of truth or a little relief from their existential questions.
Thrice practices what they preach on the road by inviting nonprofit organizations like Invisible Children to raise awareness and fund-raise on their behalf. This is not the first time Invisible Children has toured with Thrice; the organization has been active on four of Thrice's tours over the years. An avid supporter of the organization, frontman Dustin Kensrue talks about his involvement with Invisible Children onstage in every market -- and it's been hugely beneficial for the mission of the nonprofit. Invisible Children's main goals are to end the longest running war in Africa and to effectively rescue and rehabilitate child soldiers in Congo. IC does this through several initiatives -- speaking at schools across the country, showing their documentary films and, most uniquely, touring with indie rock bands to garner attention among new audiences.
Invisible Children has also extended the idea beyond touring, to give artists new platforms to spread awareness. This fall, Invisible Children launched the Musician Coalition, an online fundraising campaign that Thrice is a part of. While on tour, Kensrue performed secret acoustic sets as incentives to pledge donations for the campaign, and he will be auctioning off the guitar he played on the road at the end of tour. So far, the band has raised nearly $15,000. If you would like to make a pledge, go here.
It's fitting that Thrice's final stop will be in San Diego, the home base of Invisible Children. They're playing on 11/11/11 with La Dispute and Moving Mountains at House of Blues. Get your tickets here -- and bring some extra change to donate!
Nada Alic runs the San Diego-based music blog Friends With Both Arms -- and used to work for Invisible Children.Follow her updates on Twitter or contact her directly.
