Despite the sticky heat, I pulled on my most-constraining pants last Saturday night.

Normally I would never do such a thing in the Sacramento summer, but the dress code was requested for James Cavern’s #iwearskinnyjeans fundraiser for the three local musicians stabbed in Midtown because of their aforementioned fashion choice.

Pour House was completely packed by 10 p.m. Not everyone there was likely aware of the event, why there was music or the significance of Musical Charis’ Blake Abbey mingling around with arm in sling. Still, it was hard not to be proud of the Sacramento music scene rallying to support its brethren. A few fundraisers took place over the weekend and more are slated for July.

Danny Secretion played a solo punk set. Drop Dead Red’s Carly DuHain brought Lindsey Pavao up for a cover of “Hang Me Up To Dry.” James Cavern & the Council reunited temporarily—well, sort of—for the evening, bringing up a slew of fantastic performers to join, including Century Got Bars, Erica Ambrin and Kim Henderson. Joe Kye fiddled alongside. It felt like the most wonderful, free-form open mic, with milk crates passed around to collect donations. This video gives a good taste:

According to Cavern, the event raised just over $500.

“It’s great, but that to me was secondary to the main point, which was so that people in the community know there’s more love out there than hate,” Cavern said. 

For Cavern, the days between the attack and the event were full of people objecting to #iwearskinnyjeans or the victims’ story for various reasons. That’s why the evening’s mantra solidified into a simple one: uniting against violence and hate.

And for fans of Cavern, the event was a welcome return—the musician hasn’t performed live in about six months—and might result in Cavern casually jamming out in public about once a month. Otherwise, we’ll have to keep waiting until he releases the album he’s been so diligently working on—he said to expect an unusual, not-venue release party next summer.