Planet Plan It plans inaugural online concert
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Tillsonburg’s Jeremy Oakes and Amanda Underhill are combining their music experience to bring together Planet Plan It: Music Sessions, a new online music platform.
It’s an idea that has been catching on during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re calling it an online platform. Basically we’ve put together a website to host online live concert events,” said Oakes. “Every event will support a different charity.”
Planet Plan It’s first event, which will feature pre-recorded music with a livestream look, is Sunday, March 14, from 7 to 10 p.m.
The first charities are the SickKids Foundation (Hospital for Sick Children) and the Canadian Mental Health Association.
“Another guy had approached me about doing a show,” said Oakes. “I made some arrangements, booked some bands.”
That brief partnership did not work out, said Oakes, and after a conversation with Underhill, they decided to start something new.
“We kind of started from the ground up and did our own thing. It’s a pretty neat concept, I like it,” he said.
“We’re only nine days into it and we’re basically just waiting to launch. We have all our acts, the website is up and running, we have a Facebook group that is growing like crazy, and Instagram, Twitter, all that stuff.”
The list of March 14 performers is on the website (planetplanitmusicsessions.net). They include Green Jelly, Sarah Smith, Justine Chantale, James Joseph, Rob Cromwell, Shades of Norris, Skillfull Billy Gibbons, Am&a, Mike LaChappelle and Cindy McMaster.
“We even have some artists doing some promo videos for us. I think we have about eight of those up so far.”
Donations to the charities can be made through a link from the Planet Plan It website. Mention Planet Plan It when making a donation.
“Instead of making a donation, you make a donation under our (Planet Plan It) name. I want SickKids Foundation and Canadian Mental Health to see that Planet Plan It is making stuff happen.”
A local comedian, still to be announced, will be the MC for the first event, introducing each act.
Underhill and Oakes’ music connection goes back many years to the days when they played for a local band.
“I think she was about 15 or 16,” said Oakes. “I was maybe 19 at the time and we played in a band for maybe five years. Then she went on to a solo career.”
They later played on a tribute band for about five years.
“We just recently reconnected,” said Oakes, who over his music career played in bands for about 20 years, did booking and promoting (including shows for the Tillsonburg Fair for four to five years).
“I haven’t booked a show in probably 12 years or so, but it’s going pretty smooth. It’s been a while, but I know what I’m doing,” Oakes laughed.
cabbott@postmedia.com
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