Washington’s stacked COVID-19 relief concert postponed to honor ongoing protests

Washington fans will have to wait a little longer for what looks to be the (virtual) concert of the summer.

A star-studded COVID-19 relief concert initially slated to air next week is being postponed in light of countrywide protests following George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police. Organizers All In WA announced Thursday that the concert will now air 7 p.m. June 24.

“We recognize the pain and injustice the Black and African American community is facing, once again, and the need to honor the ongoing marches, protests, and organizing,” All In WA organizers wrote in a news release. “We also want to give space for our community to focus on what matters most at the moment; acknowledging and addressing systemic racism and violence that dehumanizes Black people and families, and taking steps to rebuild to a new reality.”

The concert is set to include a slate of Washington music heavyweights, including Pearl Jam, Brandi Carlile, Macklemore, Dave Matthews, Sir-Mix-A-Lot, Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and more.

The Amazon-backed concert will broadcast on Amazon Music’s Twitch channel, Seattle NBC affiliates KING 5 and KONG, plus KREM, KSKN and KVEW in greater Washington. A recording of the concert will be available on Amazon Prime after the initial airing.