Some believe music speaks the words we haven’t found a way to say on our own.
Others say lyrics and melodies have a way of connecting people.
Whichever the case, a group of local musicians banded together Saturday to livestream performances honoring victims of last year’s Virginia Beach Municipal Center shooting.
The VB Strong Music Tribute 2020 was organized by the VB Strong Center, an organization that works with Sentara Healthcare to support those impacted by the shooting, said Rosanne Foggin, who manages the program.
Foggin said the lineup included three city employees, as well as local acts Skip Friel, Swell Luck, Two Arms of Flight and Louis Smith, frontman of Kendall Street Company.
Friel wrote one song just for this occasion.
He calls it “The VB Strong Song,” and said it speaks to the resilience of families most impacted by the tragedy.
“In this city by the bay, 12 of our own never came home on that last day,” wrote Friel, who lives in Virginia Beach and has been a musician since he was 13.
“I feel like it can bring these people together, people who’ve been hurting, especially now,” Friel said. “They feel like they’re isolated and alone. This will give us a way to reconnect.”
Rachel Micheletti thinks so too.
She’s the lead singer of Rachel & The JellyCats, a self-proclaimed burlesque soul group inspired by the likes of Nina Simone and Bill Withers.
Originally from Pittsburgh, Micheletti has called Virginia Beach home for around 30 years.
When a friend asked her to participate in the tribute, she knew she had to be part of it.
“A lot of our friends and family members were affected,” she said. “It’s really meaningful to me, I guess as far as music goes, to just share in that way. That’s such a fantastic way to communicate feeling.”
Livestreaming from her drummer’s house off the Lafayette River in Norfolk, the band performed a few cover songs like “Feeling Good,” and one original piece called “Lady Luck.”
“All the songs I chose were things that just make me happy,” Micheletti said. “I know it’s a time of respect and a time of remembrance but I also understand the impact that happy and joyous and upbeat emotional songs can give us.”
The Castonio Pop Strings Quartet went live shortly after 2 p.m. to perform music by Beyoncé, as well as a mashup they put together, said violinist Jasmyn Castro.
“All of our songs, a lot of their meanings are about strength and unity, and we wanted to convey that to the people watching,” she said Saturday.
Their mashup included “Rise Up” by Andra Day, “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi, “Lay Me Down” by Sam Smith and “All of Me” by John Legend.
“We hope a lot of people listen and that they’ll feel our intent and meaning behind it,” Castro said.
Kelly Huntsberry and Mike Gombas Jr. performed a set of original songs. The pair make up the Virginia Beach duo “Two Hand Touch.”
“This is a tragedy that has deeply impacted our community,” the pair wrote in an email.
They think music and the arts are helpful during times of grief and reflection, and chose songs that focus on “speak to the human condition in some way.”
One of their songs, “Botherin’,” is written from the perspective of someone who has suffered a loss.
“Shut my eyes,” the song goes. “I can’t shake the sight. You didn’t even bat an eye when you laughed, and then you said goodbye.”
Foggin said they hope to host a similar event next year.
You can watch the performances on Facebook.
“We encourage everyone to spend time on this Facebook group page if they can, and we hope they experience some of the power of music in their own healing journey,” she said.
Saleen Martin, 757-446-2027, saleen.martin@pilotonline.com
