An event to raise awareness and prompt discussion of mental health returns to Zionsville’s STAR Bank Performing Arts Center Sept. 28.
Music 2 Heal is a concert organized by Randy and Angie Eugenio, whose 19-year-old son Tate died by suicide in 2021. In its second year, the concert raises funds for local nonprofits and brings messages of care, joy and perseverance to the community.
“My family and I are all music lovers, and Tate was no exception. His middle school teacher guided him to the drums, and it was the perfect fit. Finding solace through music is a gift, and doing so with many of Tate’s best musician friends has been incredible,” Angie Eugenio said. “This event would not be possible without the eagerness of our performers, many of whom are now working professionally in the music business. I am so grateful for everyone who has come together to create Music 2 Heal. I hope our event helps make it safer to talk about mental health and gives the community a chance to enjoy a night of exceptional music.”
Six Foot Blonde returns as the headliner. Several members of the band have a personal connection to the Eugenio family.
“Three of us in the band went to Zionsville High School and were involved in (music),” six Foot Blonde lead singer Julia Rusyniak said. “We knew Tate and the Eugenio family through that, but Tate was also in my grade and we were friends and loved sharing music together.”
Band members immediately said yes when approached in 2023 and again this year to headline the concert. Rusyniak said helping to end the stigma surrounding mental health is important to the band, a six-member pop-indie group that plays small venues throughout the Midwest.
“It’s awesome to be a part of something that is more than just performing on stage,” Rusyniak said. “We’re very passionate about destigmatizing mental health and making it something where people realize that they are not alone. It felt like it was so easy for us to say yes to, because we’re so passionate about it.”
Rusyniak said music can have a healing effect. Other band members agreed.
“It’s something that we try to prioritize with song writing,” said Elliott Obermaier, the band’s guitarist. “I think this event gives us a platform to be able to share that positive message through our music.”
In 2023, Music 2 Heal featured more than 40 artists and welcomed 1,000 participants, raising more than $15,000 for local mental health through the Tate Eugenio Memorial Fund, administered by the Community Foundation of Boone County. Funds also benefit mental health organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Health, Zionsville Alliance for Mental Wellness and the American Society Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Music 2 Heal begins at 6 p.m. Sept. 28 with a reception at STAR Bank Performing Arts Center, 1000 Mulberry St. in Zionsville. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $20 for reserved seating.
Buy tickets at zionsvillepac.org/m2h.
