Changing the world, one note at a time
By Ben Panko | April 10, 2013Live Aid, Farm Aid, Live 8, NetAid and Live Earth. Since George Harrison and Ravi Shankar popularized the concept with the Concert for Bangladesh in 1971, benefit concerts have become regularly occurring, star-studded events with a formulaic mix of aging rock stars grasping for relevance and world leaders grasping for exposure. Al Gore or Pink Floyd might show up and entertain us, but vague goals and undefined aid destinations make these affairs feel more like The Tonight Show with donations than charitable events. We can find examples of musicians actually helping people at the University of Richmond, and not just for free airtime.