Mating Ritual Opts for Planned Parenthood Benefit Concert in Place of Traditional Record Release Show
Los Angeles’ Mating Ritual have released a live video for their oh-so-catchy song “Second Chance.” From frontman Ryan Marshall Lawhon’s enticing vocals, to the song’s vibrant instrumentation, and that addicting hook — we’re loving everything about Mating Ritual’s “Second Chance.” It’s definitely the type of anthemic song that makes you want to get up dance. With the live video, you get to see all the harmonious magic happen right before your eyes. Check it out below!
To celebrate the release of Mating Ritual’s debut album How You Gonna Stop It?, Lawhon is throwing a pretty slammin’ benefit show titled No Matter What. The event will take place on Saturday, June 24 at The Hi Hat in Highland Park. No Matter What. Presented by Vinyl Moon/Burning Ear and Smooth Jaws, the No Matter What benefit show will include performances by Mating Ritual, Beginners, DYAN, La Bouquet, Oddnesse, Inspired and the Sleep, The Openers, and DJ sets from Sir Sly, DJ L0L0 (From Pr0files) and Bad Wave. That a stellar local music lineup, and it’s for a wonderful cause! Get. On. This.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”#FF78FF” class=”fistclass” size=”15″]100% of the proceeds will be donated to Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley. Everyone is donating their time to the cause and we have an outside donor matching every dollar raised through ticket sales, so if it sells out we’ll have raised upwards of $6,000![/perfectpullquote]
We chatted with Lawhon about his debut album and benefit concert. Check it out below!
Mating Ritual at Echo Park Rising
Grimy Goods: Why did you choose the song “Second Chance” for a live video?
Lawhon: Second Chance has kind of become the M.O. for the entire album. It was the last track written and unintentionally summed up what I’ve been struggling with the past three years. Despite my best intentions to learn from my parents mistakes, I’ve been doing the same things. It’s about finally breaking these cycles, cuz if I don’t change now, I don’t know if I ever will.
GG: What’s your debut album ‘How You Gonna Stop It’ all about?
Lawhon: How You Gonna Stop It? is about transition, or lack there of. Transition from child to adult, from employed to unemployed, from committed to single. Everyone handles these situations differently, and I tend to repeat my mistakes over and over again. The majority of the record I’m exploring whether I’ll ever get out of this cycle. I still don’t have that answer, but even if I never do, I now know that I’ll be alright (hence the title).
GG: Three words to describe your new album:
Lawhon: 😫💁😎
[our emoji speak isn’t the greatest, but we think those emojis translate as “sad/frustrated, lit and cool”] 😉
GG: Instead of a traditional record release show, you opted for a benefit show in support of Planned Parenthood. Why?
Lawhon: It initially started as a fairly simple album release party, but as it seems every day we get new concerning news about the state of our country, it didn’t make sense for me to pocket money when it could be donated to someone in danger of losing theirs. With the current administration seemingly hellbent on imposing curbs to reproductive rights, I wanted to help raise money and awareness to all the positives that Planned Parenthood do for young women in our local community every day.
GG: Did you select all the bands performing at the benefit?
Lawhon: I did book everyone, and while musically I wanted to make sure the lineup was pretty varied with a lil something for everyone, it was imperative that everyone involved share our passion to push back against the status quo.
GG: The U.S. is going through a really tough time right now with fantastic programs such as PPH heading toward defunding. What is your hope for the future?
Lawhon: It seems so simple a future that we could all just respect and love each other like we do ourselves, but since empathy seems to be trending down in 2017, I guess we have to settle with fighting for human rights organizations to simply keep their funding. This event isn’t going to save PPH, but hopefully it can inspire a few people to do what they can to help the cause.
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Tickets to Mating Ritual’s Planned Parenthood Benefit at The Hi Hat are priced at $10 – $12 and the show is all ages. Doors are at 5 p.m. Get your tickets here!
For more news and tour dates from Mating Ritual, follow him via his Facebook page.
Stream Mating Ritual’s new album How You Gonna Stop It? below and purchase it here.
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