Musician Starts Series to Benefit Victims of Tragedy

Center, firefighter Luke Perisin, surrounded by Fallborn bandmates, from left, Matt and Jules Rodriguez, Adam Watts and Nic Rodriguez. Singer-songwriter Adam Watts, frontman for the alt-rock band Fallborn, conceived a grass roots “giving back” tour to put his music in a context where it helps others, staring with a first concert in Laguna Beach.

In partnership with filmmaker Daniel Chesnut, Watts will stage a monthly show featuring Fallborn and other guest bands to raise funds for victims of recent tragedies in Southern California, a different beneficiary each month.

The as-yet-untitled concert series launches on Jan. 28, at 7:30 p.m. at Tosti Studios in Laguna Beach, benefiting O.C. firefighter/ paramedic Luke Perisin, who was severely injured last month on Coast Highway by a hit-andrun driver.

In addition to acoustic sets by Fallborn and the Pawnshop Kings, there will be an exhibition and auction of works by local artist Isaac Anderson. As he plans to do for each month’s beneficiary, Chesnut will make a video on Perisin to be screened at the event to raise awareness of his situation and how people can help.

“I wanted to find a way to take Fallborn’s music to a place where the values and the issues we write about in our songs could be translated into doing good works,” said Watts, of Brea. “I liked the idea of regular shows that weren’t just about the music, but also about our ideals and beliefs. It started out with a ‘random acts of kindness’ concept, and evolved into something that I, along with the band and Daniel Chesnut, committed to as a monthly focal point for our music, our fans, and the local communities that have supported us.”

Watts wanted to inaugurate the live concert series with an intimate event at his friend Dave Tosti’s studio, 210 N. Coast Highway. He discovered Perisin’s story, injured outside the Laguna Beach club The Sandpiper, where Watts had played for three years as a drummer in a former band. Perisin hit the windshield and is now healing from internal injuries and shattered bones. Police have yet to apprehend the driver.

Watts reached out to him via Facebook and Perisin agreed to get involved.

In talking with Perisin, Watts learned that the accident prompted a return to faith for the firefighter. Perisin said he viscerally felt the power of prayers from people and has since been attending church every Sunday after a hiatus of 20 years.

Watts, an award-winning solo artist and multi-platinum songwriter producer, started out as a contemporary Christian music artist, and has gone on to work on a broad range of projects in multiple genres including pop, rock and film music. Though Fallborn’s music is mainstream, it is still infused with issues of faith, spirituality, and responsibility that are central to Watts and his band-mates, brothers Nic, Jules and Matt Rodriguez. “We’re starting this tour,” said Watts, “because of our desire to help people while we do what we love—making music.”

There is a suggested $10 minimum donation at the door. While the shows are not officially nonprofit events, each month a significant portion of the proceeds will go directly to the featured person or cause, Watts promises. At the event, and through the band’s site (www.fallborn.com), people will be informed of future concerts and on how to continue helping after the show.