Music Is A Gift – Andy Shauf

A NIGHT WITH GIVE

guest article by Give

MUSIC IS A GIFT  – On February 17th, we launched the first of what we hope to be a long standing series of music events in collaboration with 33 Acres. We call it Music is a Gift.

Josh Michnik (the founder of 33 Acres) is not only a close friend, but an inspi- ration. He relentlessly pursues his vision with an attention to detail and rigor- ous work ethic that few people can keep up with. His most recent venture, 33 Acres Brewing Company, isn’t just a craft brewery. It’s the physical manifes- tation of what he stands for: hard work, community, and a continual pursuit of beauty. 33 Acres’ beauty is not the surface kind—it runs much deeper than the tasting room, the recently renovated offices, or the friendly smiles of his staff. It’s everywhere in the space—and he and his amazing team are continu- ally improving the environment to make everything about it the best possible experience that it can be. It’s a place for people to share beautiful experiences.

How can we bring a unique musical experience into this space? Josh has been expressing this sentiment to us for over 2 years. We have always been thrilled by the idea, but there are many things to juggle with our limited time and resources, trying to build Give during our evenings, weekends, and stolen moments.

Music is a Gift is about beautiful experiences of musical performance. It’s an opportunity for us to celebrate the reason we make Give: great music makes you feel something special that nothing else can. It can reveal that subliminal balance of right place, right time that somehow piques your senses and makes everything around you that much richer. It happens with a combination of the right room, the right quality of the sound, and of course, the right performer.

That’s why we chose Andy Shauf for our first event. It was incredible: Andy and his 4-piece band played with such heart that the audience was in the palms of their hands. Those who were able to make it in the door (there is a very small capacity) will not soon forget this intimate performance. You can listen to the performance on Soundcloud.

The show itself was based on a Gift. There was no cover charge for the event and no agreed upon payment for the band. Andy and band were there per- forming as a Gift and it was up to the audience to ensure that they got paid. To help, 33 Acres provided a free beer with a $10 gift. The results were out- standing: the average gift amount was $21, far exceeding our expectations.

But more importantly, it was a beautiful experience that left Andy Shauf and his fans beaming in the glow of a great performance. We intend to make every show in the series feel like this. Every event will leave the people that attend with a memory that sits as a reminder of what a memorable musical experience feels like. It’s in these moments that we real- ize why we Give.