Tragedy struck the Portland, Oregon music community on September 27th, 2015 when musician and live music lover Chris Chandler was killed in a hit-and-run outside of The Goodfoot Pub and Lounge, a beloved Portland venue.
On Tuesday, October 6th, around 150 people gathered in a march that not only celebrated Chandler’s life, but also raised awareness for positive change. Friends and family created an organization called Speed Bumps for Chandler that aims to lobby the community to create safer streets outside of venues.
The organization states: “Speed Bumps for Chandler is dedicated to mobilizing people, communities and governmental entities to improve and implement effective safety standards. Our main goal is implementing traffic calming devices near areas of public events. On September 27th, 2015, musician Chris Chandler was killed by a car outside of a music venue in Portland, Oregon. Speed Bumps for Chandler was created as a direct response to this tragedy. Please join us in helping to lobby for higher safety standards near venues to protect both artists and concert goers attending performances.”
The local music scene came together at bottle shop Belmont Station, whose owner is also concerned about traffic and safety outside of her business. Bridgetown Brass led a parade for about a mile down the sidewalk to The Goodfoot, where there was a memorial featuring photos, candles, and a setlist from the last show Chandler attended. Â That night, Portland-based band Radula performed, and invited several guest musicians to the stage.
For more information about Chris and how you might help the cause, visit The Speed Bumps For Chandler website.
