Rebecca Sugar for the Trevor Project - Fundraiser concert
This is a writeup detailing the Trevor Project charity concert on June 12, put on by Rebecca Sugar, Jeff Liu, and Ben Levin. I'm posting this to share the songs performed, anecdotes, a few images, and anything of interest! This concert, in honor of Pride month, is to raise money for the LGBTQ+ suicide prevention organization the Trevor Project, the largest suicide prevention organization which supports the lives of queer youth--an issue super important to the hearts of these creators and their fans. They posted a promise that they would play a new original song never before heard in public if the fundraising goal of $20K is met!
Rebecca opens by introducing the group (Jeff Liu, Ben Levin, and Ian Jones-Quartey working as "the man in the chair" monitoring the donations and chat). The three of them were "the band" doing the demos throughout Steven Universe and they're really enjoying being together doing this again. Rebecca notes that they became a board member of the Trevor Project last year and they feel super honored to do this fundraiser for them. Throughout the concert, they mention the following resources that the Trevor Project makes available:
- A 24/7 crisis line is available: 866 488 7386 to call and speak with a volunteer
- The Trevor Text program can allow you to text with a counselor: text the word START to 678 678
- The Trevor Chat is available for online chat with a counselor at trevorchat.org
- The Trevor Space site is available for LGBTQ+ networking for people ages 13 to 24 at trevorspace.org
- Donations are always accepted at thetrevorproject.org
- You can train to become a volunteer at thetrevorproject.org/volunteer
- You can learn about initiatives in all 50 states where you can get involved to take action against oppressive laws at trvr.org/advocacy
- And there are tons of LGBTQ+ resources at trevorproject.org/resources
Rebecca personally referenced the Trevor Project's resources when trying to argue for the need for LGBTQ+ elements in cartoons. These links, numbers, and informative bits are shared throughout the concert periodically along with the opportunities to donate and support this wonderful organization.
After this, they get started with the first song--an abbreviated version of "Happily Ever After" from the Steven Universe movie. (They note that it's usually referred to as "Here We Are in the Future" internally because they were torn on the song name until the last minute.)
"On the Run" is next--written by Jeff Liu (who boarded on that episode as well). Jeff sings Steven's part in the song and Rebecca provides Amethyst's lyrics and the whistling!
Rebecca then introduces a song that was personally relevant when they were first getting started trying to put personal thoughts referencing their bisexual experience into cartoon music: "I'm Just Your Problem," in the Adventure Time episode "What Was Missing." Rebecca tells a cute anecdote about writing the song, making Ian leave the apartment they were living in so they could knock the song out, but then right after they figured the song out, they thought they forgot it and had to record it as soon as possible.
Rebecca then discusses their VERY FIRST song written for TV on their VERY FIRST boarded episode of Adventure Time--"It Came From the Nightosphere"--which is of course the "Fry Song," which they wrote with some help from Pendleton Ward. They told the anecdote about Ian trying to encourage them to sing it louder while playing ukulele on the roof. They sing a version of it that's longer than the version that got into the TV show!
Rebecca then says Jeff Liu was super into ska and so they were really excited to start including some ska tunes in Steven Universe--which they finally got to do with Sadie's band. The next song is "The Working Dead."
After some discussion of the donation status and the set list, they introduce a "Mr. Greg" suite, beginning with "Don't Cost Nothin'," and then Rebecca switches from guitar to ukulele to play a solo early arrangement of "It's Over (Isn't It)."
The next song is a slightly expanded version of "Peace and Love (On Planet Earth)," which Rebecca describes as "kind of a duet" but they do all the lyrics alone. There are some fun extra instrumentals in the middle and a more robust intro!
Rebecca says they're getting nervous about playing the new original song because at this point the stream isn't half over but they're halfway through their goal. They really want to share the song but they haven't practiced it much. Ian assures everyone it's good but Rebecca says he's biased. :)
They continue to discuss everything Trevor Project is doing to fight awful laws and help LGBTQ+ individuals. Rebecca reminds everyone that Ben is now a co-creator of Craig of the Creek and they want to do a Craig song. They do an expanded version of "Fireworks," which is the end theme written by Jeff Rosenstock.
Next, Rebecca says Jeff Liu's band, The Birds I Heard, has a great song called "Kindest Sound" off the album Finally (available on Bandcamp). Jeff sings and Rebecca does harmony with him.
Going back to cartoon songs, "Giant Woman" is next on the agenda. They note it's one of Jeff's earliest boarded episodes and have a good old time jamming on it before intermission.
After the intermission, Rebecca says they are now going to share a song that they wrote when they felt trapped and needed something therapeutic. Up comes an acoustic guitar and electric guitar duet version of "Escapism."
Next, an Adventure Time song is up--dedicated to Adam Muto, it's Rebecca's song that they wrote for the finale of the show, long after they'd left the show to work on Steven. They play a lovely ukulele solo version "Time Adventure." They said they almost called that song "See You in Reruns."
In discussing what helps and harms LGBTQ youth, the Trevor Project applies this research to help explain what laws and unsupportive environments have a negative effect on young people. But they also focus on what really helps us, and self-expression is really high on the list of what helps. Rebecca talks about the mental health resources they ended up accessing when they were facing huge amounts of pushback and censorship on Steven Universe, and they share a ukulele version of "Here Comes a Thought," a song they wrote during the thick of all of that.
Next comes a short lullaby from Adventure Time: "Sleepy Puppies." Jeff Liu is back joining Rebecca, both on guitar. Next up is another Adventure Time song, "On a Tropical Island/As a Tropical Island," which Rebecca mentions was so fun to write for Jake the Dog. Following is another Adventure Time song: of course they had to bring us "Everything Stays."
And finally, one more Adventure Time song: "Bacon Pancakes," described as the shortest song they wrote for the show and how they suspected it wouldn't be accepted because it's short. Rebecca says that song was dedicated to their dad because he would make gourmet breakfasts, and they gave a shoutout to their parents who might be on the chat.
Ben Levin comes back at this point and Rebecca tells a story about how Ben left Steven Universe before the movie but still "moonlighted" to help with the writing despite being on Craig of the Creek by that point. (New episodes of Craig in July, they say! Get excited.) From here they slide into songs from the Steven Universe Movie, and we get a cool guitar version of "Other Friends" with all three of them.
Next, with a shoutout to aivi and surasshu (aivi's got a new record label for gentle digital fusion, called Infloresce Records, album Floral Folklore is out; and surasshu's got a new EP called 24, digital ringtones for every hour of the day, on bandcamp), they go into playing "Drift Away," which was co-written with Aimee Mann, one of Rebecca's heroes.
Continuing with "the Spinel portion of the concert, dedicated to Spinel," Rebecca and Jeff begin to play "Found," with Rebecca sharing the anecdote about needing to write this song but not having it yet, then hearing the song in a dream and waking up to write it down. Ian pipes up that it's true, he was there.
And the final song in the "Spinel Suite" is a version of "Change" with Rebecca singing and playing acoustic guitar, and Jeff Liu on electric guitar. Rebecca describes this as very challenging. They really rock out.
Rebecca takes a moment to thank Ian for being "the man in the chair," for running the light show behind them, for being OK KO's creator, and for being their husband. :) From here, the concert goes into a solo with Rebecca and the guitar to play "Change Your Mind," which is a personal song that got worked into the show. Rebecca plays the full version.
The next song is "Love Like You," which aivi and surasshu wrote and Rebecca provided the lyrics. According to Rebecca, the duo insisted that they do the singing even though they're very shy. It is, of course, the end credits song for Steven Universe.
At this point, Rebecca was told that the $20K goal was just reached.
With the promise of a new personal song to be played dangling over the chat for most of the concert, it was exciting to finally get here. So "Good Morning Afternoon" is the title of the promised original song. Lyrics (transcribed, not necessarily official):
Good morning afternoon Good morning afternoon I didn't think that I would be seeing you so soon Wasn't it just eleven half a minute ago? I thought the day was moving slow, I thought the day was moving, Wasn't it it just eleven half a minute ago? I thought the day was moving slow.
Because they're so excited about meeting the goal, they decide to give us a SECOND original song. They don't state the title. Lyrics (transcribed, not necessarily official):
Something, something's up ahead Just around the bend I remember when I felt just a little bit younger than our friends But they've gone on ahead And I've been left behind It's fine, I'll just find my own way to the end
To take us out of the concert, Rebecca closes with the song they got to write for OK KO: "It's Only Magic."
Everyone thanks the audience for watching THIS show as well and after one more glowing review of the Trevor Project's incredible resources and support for LGBTQ youth, the concert closes with about $21,000 raised.
