The first concert at SaskTel Centre since before the pandemic began will be a one-of-a-kind concert to promote unity, awareness and community. That, from Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand with the announcement of a concert on September 30th, which is both Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Proceeds will help to support programs for those impacted by residential schools. However, Arcand says this event is not about making money. In fact, all he hopes for is to break even.

Arcand says it has been a tough time with the pandemic, and double that for survivors of residential schools, as the discovery of unmarked graves at residential schools brings up old traumas. He hopes this concert will bring awareness to the issues and promote unity within the community, which he describes as being all-inclusive with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

SaskTel Centre is donating its facility for the event, which will feature country artists Gord Bamford, Charlie Major and George Canyon. There will also be cultural performers and speakers. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster as of 10 tomorrow (Wed) morning.

Executive Director of SaskTel Centre, Scott Ford, considers this a bridging event, working together with the Saskatoon Tribal Council, acknowledging what happened in the past, but moving forward. The collaboration with the STC began with the vaccination clinics where about 28,000 people were vaccinated at SaskTel Centre.

He adds that there will be extra sanitizing stations, considering safety around COVID-19, and whatever the public health regulations will be at the time, will be followed. Tickets are $35 plus service charges.