L.B. to hold relief concert for hurricane victims

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The city and the Civil Service Employees Association will host a hurricane relief concert on Sept. 24 that will benefit victims of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and José.

The concert is set to take place at National Boulevard beach, from 2 to 7 p.m.

“After experiencing what we did with [Hurricane] Sandy, we realized how important it is to reach out and to do things for others as people did for us,” said City Council President Len Torres. “This is the right time for all of us to make it our mission to help others.”

The show will close the city’s free summer concert series and feature local musicians, including Desperado Ridge, an Eagles Tribute Band; Killer Joe, a rock and roll party band; the Liverpool Shuffle, a Beatles Tribute band; and All About Joel, a Billy Joel Tribute band.

“When we were hit with Sandy, a lot of different communities reached out to us and helped us, and although it’s been five years, it’s still really ripe and fresh to all of us, so to give back is what Long Beach is all about,” City Council Vice President Anthony Eramo said.

“I think it also highlights all of the amazing musicians and artists that we have in this city,” he continued. “We’re really turning into more of an arts community and I think partnering with the CSEA to do a concert just makes perfect sense.”

Organizers said all kinds of donations will be accepted, but gift cards are preferred.

“We are proud to partner with the city to help other communities that are going through what we went through with Sandy,” said CSEA President John Mooney. “We know exactly how hard it is to rebuild after a disaster, and our natural instinct is to help those in need just as others did for us five years ago — paying it forward the Long Beach way.”