'Maybe the night holds a little hope': Ben&Ben inspires with online concert for frontliners

MANILA — “Maybe the night holds a little hope for us.”

It’s a line from Ben&Ben’s “Maybe the Night” which has taken a sort of different meaning, as the band pointed out themselves, when they performed it during their online concert this Friday for the benefit of the country’s frontliners battling the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Titled “Puhon,” a Bisayan word they used in one of their songs that loosely translates to mean “if God wills it,” the performance saw the band perform from their respective homes a slew of their hits, including “Araw-Araw,” “Leaves,” and “Kathang Isip,” in hopes of inspiring the people who are risking their lives against COVID-19.

“Music and art are some of the most powerful antidotes against fear,” the band told their fans. “That’s why we’re here today.”

The concert, which at one point saw its viewer count reach more than 130,000, doubled as an official introduction of their website, also dubbed “Puhon.”

The site contains donation links, to support healthcare workers and other daily wage workers affected by COVID-19. and an archive of inspiring stories during this time of crisis.

The goal, the band said, is to keep the hopes of people cooped up inside their homes due to the imposed quarantine, as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country continue to rise. The number has reached more than 800 as of Friday.

During their concert stream, the band said that they have now received nearly P2.8 million in donations since the site went up a couple of days ago.