A group of Montreal musicians plans to record an album of original material to benefit relief efforts in Haiti. A group of Montreal musicians plans to record an album of original material to benefit relief efforts in Haiti. (CBC)

A series of benefits for aid organizations working in earthquake-stricken Haiti got underway Wednesday night in Montreal with a sold-out concert at the Gesù concert hall.

The benefit for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins sans frontières (MSF) featured Quebec musicians Ariane Moffat, Michel Rivard, Florence K, Ian Kelly, Bia and others.

The concert sparked so much interest that even a bar next door to the hall had to be commandeered so that people could watch the performance on television.

It was only natural for members of Quebec's artistic community to want to get involved in helping Haiti, said Florence K.

"We are all affected in one way or another because people we know have lost someone close to them or are waiting for news," she said. "So, we're getting organized."

Singer François Grégoire of the group Kodiak helped organize the event, which was dubbed l'Union fait la force, French for "strength through unity."

Grégoire's father and grandfather are living in Haiti.

"I didn't get any news for the whole first week," he told CBC Radio's Homerun program. "This Monday, I managed to talk to [my father], and he said everything is ruined."

Organizing a benefit show seemed like the natural thing to do, Grégoire said.

Other benefits scheduled this week:

  • Thursday: concert at Montreal's Telus Theatre featuring Jonas et Corey acoustic band; Paul Piché; Loco Locass; and others.
  • Friday: telethon to be aired on several French-language television networks, including Radio-Canada, and hosted by Haitian-born singer-songwriter Luck Mervil.
  • Friday: Canada for Haiti telethon to be aired on the three major Canadian television networks, including CBC.
  • Saturday: benefit concert for the Red Cross to be held at the Imperial Theatre in Quebec City, featuring Luck Mervil, Jean-Pierre Ferland and Bruno Pelletier.

"You feel helpless; you don't know what to do," he said. "That is why we decided to make a move and give a voice to the cause."

The money raised by the event is much appreciated, said MSF spokesman Gregory Vandendaelen.

The medical aid organization has already set up 10 operating theatres in and around the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, and hopes to set up another four in the coming days, he said.

"I heard from one of my colleagues, who is a doctor there, who said he had to go out into the street to buy soap to perform an amputation because the equipment is not coming," Vandendaelen said.

The musicians who organized the event said they have also recorded a song that they expect to release through their website.

A benefit album featuring original material is also expected to be released in the coming weeks.