Not the Fire, But the Smoke Remains : BAND TOGETHER for Syrian Refugees
Photos and words by Elizabeth Durnford
As I walked down Elgin Street Saturday evening toward St. John the Evangelist Church, I knew immediately where I was headed due to the sound of EDM blaring through the open door. Capital DJ Academy was warming the waiting crowd as they anticipated what the night had in store for them. Band Together, the benefit show for United for Refugees Ottawa was the brainchild of two locals, Leah Miller and Scott Irving, who had more than enough connections within the Ottawa music scene to rally together and put on the event.
When the musical section of the evening began, Alan Neal of CBC’s All In A Day gave a brief, but noteworthy introduction of special guests who were in house including, representatives of Ottawa’s United Way, members of the bands, and those who volunteered their time to make the evening happen.
The six-piece band, theroyalbrushoff, hit the stage first, filling the church with their bluesy rock. The available seating made it difficult to get the crowd up off their feet, but the group was engaging nonetheless. A musician I feel worth mentioning specifically was the young guy on the trumpet. I played the trumpet for years (though not well) and his ability to keep the sound crisp and consistent I found to be quite impressive. For their final song they were joined by Hamilton’s Jeremy Fisher for what was an energetic finale to an already energetic set.
During the intermission, the crowd, which had grown exponentially since the beginning of the night, had time to go check out the items found within the silent auction, as well as get a beverage of their choosing – the proceeds of which went toward United for Refugees. To my surprise, along with my beer, I was also able to get what was probably the greatest homemade cookie I have had in sometime. I give my compliments to the volunteer who created those and ask that they please post the recipe in the comments for all our benefit.
After a quick turnaround, The PepTides were introduced and took to the stage in true PepTides fashion. For those who have not had the chance to make it to see them perform, they combine music, energy, and theatrics in a way that makes them very unique in their style of show. I have had the opportunity to see a few of their past shows, and each time they bring an amazing caliber of energy to their set. This time round, they added a few songs I hadn’t heard before, including one that I took to be very symbolic of the entire evening, Fishhead. A powerful lyric of the song, “not the fire, but the smoke remains” symbolizes how even with small actions, the initial intensity of an act can last only a short time, but the remnants and memories will linger on.
I believe that events like this one are fantastic. They bring people together for a single cause and reinforce a sense of community. But I think the true value – just as the lyrics say – lie within the benefits and impact that ripples outward into the community we are building. So although this event has passed, the impact it will have on the lives of those we are welcoming into our community will continue on through the support, both socially and financially, generated by events like this.
Once again, huge shout out to those who organized this event and to those who put time in to making it happen. The total amount raised throughout the evening was a whopping $4500! If you were unable to make it out on Saturday night, but would still like to support the cause or are interested in learning more about the organization, follow this link to United For Refugees.