Student-led benefit concert celebrates Providence, raises $20,000 for local nonprofits

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] - On a Friday evening in early March, hundreds of people gathered in downtown Providence to dance, cheer and let the stresses of the week melt away. They were drawn together by a shared purpose: celebrating the people and places in Providence that offered extraordinary support to the Brown University community in the wake of the mass shooting on campus on Dec. 13.

The "Thank You PVD" benefit concert, held on Friday, March 6, at the Strand Ballroom and Theatre, featured a stacked lineup of Brown student musicians and local performers. Organized by sophomore Theodore Coben and senior Ellison Mucharsky, the show was a student-led expression of gratitude and an opportunity to give back in a tangible way.

"On Dec. 14, it felt like it didn't matter if you were a student at Brown or a stranger from the furthest corner of Rhode Island - everyone came together in community and partnership to support each other," Coben said. "It's time that we make that a more regular occurrence. We need those kinds of moments to happen even when - maybe especially when - it's not spurred by tragedy."

All proceeds from ticket sales and donations will be distributed to local nonprofit partners through the University's Brown Loves Providence initiative. Through ticket sales and a pledge by Brown alumni to match donations, Coben estimated that the concert has raised about $20,000, with donations still streaming in.

"This is something run by Brown students, but it's for the entire Providence community," said senior Mia-Nathalie Pridgen, one of the volunteers involved in the show's organization. "It's for us to be able to show our appreciation, our love, our thanks, and also give back financially."

From a small show to a citywide celebration

The inspiration behind the benefit concert grew from a similar show Coben organized in January, when many students returned to campus for the first time since Dec. 13. Held at AS220 in Providence, that show created a moment of connection for students easing back into campus life and planted the seed for what would become "Thank You PVD," Coben said.

"I believe in the all-powerful healing ability of music, and I just really wanted to share that with as many people as possible," Coben said. "Seeing how well that event went, I thought, 'Why not scale this up?'"