Art and politics can make strange, confusing bedfellows.
German playwright and all-around commie Bertolt Brecht would say: Unless your work directly protests the global capitalist hegemony by alienating the bourgeois theatergoing audience, it amounts to little but titillation for the ruling classes. On the other end of the spectrum, though, you have iconic postpunk crew Fugazi, which skipped the political theory, opting instead for a little direct action by means of that now-institutional phenomenon called the benefit show.
Once the group became an established band with a solid, consistent draw, it would perform in its hometown of Washington, D.C., only if the proceeds went to charities such as homeless shelters and free clinics for women. And Miami's third annual Bands for Dance benefit takes a page from Fugazi's school of practical political activism.
Organized in part by the local reggae punkers of Askultura (and featuring an eclectic sampling of bands and solo artists), this concert helps benefit the Michelle Vargas Scholarship Fund at the University of South Florida. Plus the event's Facebook page promises "Colombian food that will put hair on your you-know-what."
Politics are messy. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and everyone is an asshole. So it's refreshing to see local musicians rallying behind a cause that doesn't leave much room for proselytizing or posturing.
