Just Doin' It For The Cause

Why do we do it? Why do we lug heavy gear up 2 flights of stairs and pour our hearts into a performance for little or no pay? Why do we mortgage our homes to finance that big tour or recording project? Not many of us get rich, and too many of us are forced to give it all up just to pay the bills. Why then, should we bother pursuing music? Well, there is a reason, believe me.

I was recently invited to a benefit concert to raise awareness of the terrible situation in the Darfur Region of the Sudan. While I try not to bring my political agendas into this column, I will encourage you, my fine reader, to check out www.csfdarfur.net to read about this tragic situation.

I managed to speak to one of the organizers of this benefit concert, aptly named “Shake the Dust for Darfur” to ask him how he found the superb talent for this event. Ben Nixon is a student/musician/spoken word artist from Vancouver, and he is a good example of someone who is "Doin It for The Cause".

NS - Ben, How did you approach the artists who performed at Shake the Dust for Darfur? Did you use the cause itself to appeal to them? Was it easy getting them on board?
BN - We started off by listing a few bands that we knew personally and who we thought would have a fan base to draw upon. Unfortunately, none of those groups were available for the date, so we had to start finding other people. We spent many hours listening to local music on myspace and discussing which groups seemed like good acts to invite. It was during this phase of organization that we came very close to giving up. Finally we did find a few bands who were available and eager - and awesome! We contacted them through myspace, then email and presented all the details of the concert, including why we thought they would be a good choice and what the event was all about. Once we got over the hurdle of finding bands that were available it actually went pretty smoothly.

NS - Did you find it difficult to recruit acts for little or no money, or did you find they were gung-ho once you explained the cause?
BN - We did wish that we could have given the groups some kind of honorarium, but we decided it was more important to put the money towards the cause since we had no way of knowing how big our audience turnout would be. It didn’t end up being an issue that we weren’t paying though. The bands were grateful for the invitation and were keen to help once we explained the cause.

NS - Ben, I know you are a musician as well as an event-organizer. Do you think acts can improve their image by aligning with a cause, or is it selfish for an artist to do so?
BN - I think that acts can definitely improve their image by showing that they are motivated to help with these sorts of issues. People naturally have more respect for bands that exceed their expectations and make a difference through both art and activism. I guess in some cases it’s possible that a band could be doing it purely for the PR boost, but I think that’s pretty uncommon. Even if that were the case, the band would still be helping people despite their ulterior motive.

NS - Besides money, what do you think is the biggest motivator for recruiting musicians to help out with an event or cause such as this?
BN - I think the biggest motivators are publicity, a genuine desire to aid the cause, and an opportunity to perform in an atypical environment. Most bands will tell you that all-ages shows are some of the most enjoyable gigs for them to play. When youth go to concerts they’re not coming to drink or network, they’re coming to enjoy the music and support the performers. Also, it shouldn’t be forgotten that when you invite an act to your show you’re asking a performer to perform - something they love to do.

NS - I was not only entertained but educated on the night of your show. There is no doubt in my mind that you feel strongly about this cause. Where can people go to find out more information or get involved?
BN - You can find out a little bit about the Darfur crisis from mainstream media sources, but this issue has really been robbed of the massive coverage it requires and deserves. The best place to look is through alternative news sources on the web. A broad selection of sources with constant updates and links can be found at csfdarfur.net . Alternatively, if you want a simplified explanation of the issue you can listen to a recording of mine at myspace.com/bennixon.

NS Well said Ben, thank you for your time. Good luck with everything.

As an artist, I can think of no other reason to keep on touring, performing and making music, then to help others. As they say, you give a little, you get a lot. The benefit concert I gave as an example shows that when artists come together for a cause, there is nothing they can’t do. Sometimes money isn’t as important as getting up there on stage and supporting a cause you feel strongly about. If you can perform your music day in and day out, then you are truly lucky to be able to do what you love, and I urge you to take every opportunity to do so. Take me for an example. I’m not paid to write this column, but if I can influence one band to play for a charity event or a group of people to organize a benefit concert, then I am truly Doin It For The Cause.