Joe Walsh has been staging his annual VetsAid benefit concert at arenas over the past few years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the legendary Eagles guitarist to take the event online. He has just announced the virtual 2020 edition, and it’s a star-studded event featuring performances and appearances from Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Metallica’s James Hetfield, Alice Cooper, and many more.
The concert event, dubbed “VetsAid 2020: Home for the Holidays”, will stream December 12th at 6:00 pm ET. All proceeds will benefit various veterans’ services charities.
In addition to Walsh and the aforementioned artists, the event will feature Jon Bon Jovi, Daryl Hall, Ryan Bingham, The Killers’ Brandon Flowers, Vince Gill, Ben Harper, Jason Isbell, Jewel, Richard Marx, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, Billy Bob Thornton, Steven Van Zandt, and more.
“For the past three years we’ve held this glorious traveling circus in cities across the country with a day-long rock and roll festival and jobs fair to support our veterans and their families,” said Walsh in a press release. “Typically, we fill up an arena, play for 5 hours, and raise a bunch of money — nearly $1.5 million to date — to help our veterans get the care and support they deserve. But because of COVID this year, we’re going virtual as so many things are.”
He continued, “Our veterans community already suffers from increased poverty rates, mental health issues, re-entry difficulties and personal crises in the best of times. During this pandemic they are especially vulnerable. I’m proud of this nationwide tradition we have built and I can’t think of a better way to remember and honor the men and women who have served our country this holiday season than by helping us raise funds to support their essential and basic needs. Join us online for a worldwide broadcast of unique musical performances of all kinds, never-before-seen VetsAid footage from years past and great stories from me and some of the greatest musicians in the world this December 12th!”
Virtual tickets for the VetsAid are $20 each, and can be purchased here beginning November 18th. See the full lineup in the poster below.