Humbert’s show raises funds for venues
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For more than a decade, Ryan Humbert's Holiday Extravaganza brought some seasonal cheer to the Akron Civic Theatre and raised money for a worthy cause.
This year, he's taking the extravaganza to 17 locations -- or at least their Facebook pages -- and the cause couldn't be more important to the musicians participating.
"This summer when everyone started realizing concerts weren't coming back in the traditional sense, my longtime singing partner and co-conspirator Emily Bates and I started talking about what might the Christmas show look like," Humbert said. "Should we cancel or pivot in another direction?
"We really wanted to keep the tradition alive. This is the 12th annual. It would have been really disappointing not to be able to do something in some fashion."
The concert became an online performance with Humbert and Bates backed by some Mahoning Valley talent -- John Anthony, guitar, and Ed Davis, drums, from The Vindys and Clay Colley, keyboards, from Black Wolf & the Thief. Rounding out the band is Kevin Martinez, bass, from The Speedbumps.
"These are guys I knew that I could trust to pull this off and have the same mindset -- get together safely, bring your A game and put on a great show," Humbert said.
The performance, which was recorded last weekend, will premiere at 8 p.m. Friday on the Facebook pages of the following Ohio venues and arts / entertainment entities: Ryan Humbert Music, Stambaugh Auditorium, Akron Civic Theatre, The Auricle, The Beachland Ballroom, Cain Park, Jilly's Music Room, The Kent Stage, Miami University Performing Arts Series, Musica, Music Box Supper Club, Ohio Arts Professionals Network, The Summit FM, Weathervane Playhouse and Zeppelin Productions.
It is free to watch, but viewers will be encouraged to make donations to the National Independent Venue Association, which was founded to preserve and nurture independent live venues, promoters and festivals throughout the United States.
"The show has always been a fundraiser, primarily a local fundraiser," Humbert said. "As musicians we're not able to go out and do what we love, and we're watching our friends who own venues who are really struggling right now. Let's step up our game and do this for something near and dear to our hearts."
Everyone Humbert contacted about sharing the performance agreed to participate within 24 hours of being contacted.
Humbert has released several albums as a solo artist and fronts the honky tonk / Western swing band The Shootouts. Viewers can expect a setlist filled with seasonal favorites with an emphasis on happy holiday songs instead of melancholy classics like "I'll Be Home for Christmas" or "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
"This has been a very difficult year for many people, who are grieving the loss of loved ones or the lost revenue from their jobs," Humbert said. "It's been a very tough year with election stress, pandemic stress. If we're going to do this, let's make it something that bring cheer to folks and help them get in the spirit a little bit."