Brandi Carlile & Dave Matthews Speak And Perform At Seattle ‘March For Our Lives’ Protest

Students across the country led March For Our Lives public protests for gun control at over 800 locations on Saturday attended by hundreds of thousands of all ages. The movement galvanized in the wake of a mass shooting on February 14 at Parkland, Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in which 17 were killed and 17 more were wounded. One March For Our Lives protest was held in Seattle and culminated with performances by Brandi Carlile and Dave Matthews.

Seattle protesters gathered at Cal Anderson Park in the morning and then started marching towards downtown Seattle. Washington Governor Jay Inslee and Connecticut Governor Daniel Malloy were among the politicians who spoke to the protester at the Seattle Center finale. While Brandi Carlile had been set to perform at Seattle Center, she came across Dave Matthews marching as part of the protest with his daughter. Carlile convinced Matthews to talk to the crowd and sing for them.

KOMO News has shared 20 minutes of video featuring most of Carlile’s time on stage and all of Dave’s performance and speech. The footage starts with Brandi Carlile’s biting performance of “Hold Out Your Hand” from the recently released By The Way, I Forgive You. Brandi went on to cover Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” She then told the crowd about her meeting with Dave Matthews and brought him out on stage.

The current Seattle resident shared his take on “the madness of the gun laws and gun lobby in this country” and the “power of these young people standing up to the authorities.” He explained, “I lost my sister to gun violence and I lost my uncle to gun violence and it’s a real thing.” Matthews went on to thank and praise the students who “come from purity and truth.” Dave borrowed Brandi’s guitar for a gorgeous rendition of “Mercy.” Carlile and her band then returned to perform “The Jokes On Them.”

Watch Brandi Carlile and Dave Matthews’ speeches and performances: