An estimated 6,300 people piled into the Metro Centre last night to listen to some of Halifax’s best-known artists do their part for Haiti.
The Halifax for Haiti event ended up raising $135,000 to aid the Canadian Red Cross in their efforts to help the troubled nation rebuild in the wake of January’s massive earthquake outside Port-au-Prince.
The evening featured something for everyone — straight-up rock n’ roll from Matt Minglewood, a folksy banjo tune from Old Man Luedecke, hip-hop from Classified, even a classical rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody from Rhapsody Quintet.
The event also drew Ricky, Julian, and Bubbles, of Trailer Park Boys fame. After Bubbles clarified to Ricky that the money raised was not actually for them, the infamous Boys sold hotdogs — hotdogs for Haiti — at $10 a pop to fans on stage. Bubbles later sold the barbeque, which turned out to be a rental, for $50.
Local indie legend Joel Plaskett headlined the show. He said that while Halifax on its own may seem small, the event was contributing to a larger, inspiring picture.
“It sounds corny but it’s true how a bunch of people can pull together in small ways to create something bigger,” he said.
Playing with some of Nova Scotia’s biggest names was also a lot of fun for the artists, according to Plaskett.
“Doing something positive in the face of something so tragic is what everybody is here to do,” said Plaskett. “And if means get together and try to have a good time and to celebrate, while in the back of our minds knowing what we’re doing it for, I think that’s a good thing.”
In a move that fit the mood of the evening, Plaskett chose to close out the night with his anthem Love this Town.
