What’s the deal with bands and lectures lately? After Bruce Springsteen at SXSW, Arcade Fire took the stage at the University of Texas on Monday night, as part of the Distinguished Speakers series on campus. However, Arcade fire was not there to encourage aspiring musicians as Springsteen did, they were rather addressing the current socio-economic situation in Haiti and the efforts of their non profit organization, Partners In Health.
Some loyal fans tweeted some parts of Win Butler and Régine’s discourse, and even though it is quite difficult to comment on something you haven’t heard in its entirety, here is what I got:
‘What makes a Haitian different than I am for being born in this country?’
‘Let's not call them a patient in rural Haiti, let's say they're just a patient’
‘The idea is larger than Haiti, and now we're on to something here’
‘There isn't a divide, it's creating a common cause with the people’, said Win Butler
Apparently, Régine said far less as usual, but she declared:
‘PIH realizes it's more than just giving someone a pill’
‘it's like helping a friend being the best they can be. For me, that's the most amazing thing’
So I realize they are really helping Haitians and seem sincere in their action, but do they needed to do one of these Bono-style lectures?
Win also said to the audience:
‘it's about doing something completely thoroughly, something that people really want’
‘we saw the perils of doing something half-assed’
‘we played in Cange. Those people fucking know how to go to a rock show. I got so much from the Haitian culture’
‘their music & art makes you feel like an asshole for trying. It's just so pure.’
‘it's like finding a new band with an infinite back catalogue. That's how i feel about Haiti’
And I began to cringe…. Aren’t we over the cliché story of the white man finding inspiration in black musical culture? Oh well I guess not.
Then there was the motivation-speech part:
Régine: ‘If you don't have a lot of money you probably have a lot of time’
Win: ‘What have you guys been doing? We've won a Grammy’
Okay, I have no money, no time, and I will never win a Grammy, can I still help? Seriously, I don’t want to over criticize them in their humanitarian endeavor, but they should simply act on it, give the money to Haiti and stop the lectures if they don’t want to be definitely labeled as the new U2.
Of course, they are always at their best when they play: