Ben Gibbard wrote the song Life in Quarantine ten days ago.
Ben Gibbard performs the song "Life in Quarantine" for the first time.

As you may have read on Slog yesterday, in light of everything happening around us, we're not starting the day with news on Slog right now. We are overwhelmed by news. We need something other than news to start the day.

What we need is hope. We need connection. We need a reminder of what's good about being alive. Beginning now, and continuing every day until the human condition improves, we're presenting a message of hope, a message to the whole city, from someone who has a gift to share.

Today's message to the city comes from Ben Gibbard, the lead vocalist and guitarist of Death Cab for Cutie.

"I know this is a really fucked up and scary time for everybody, including myself," he says in his message. "And I know that we're all trying to figure out what we can do to make it better, or what we can do to alleviate the suffering of someone else."

If you live in Seattle and want to do something helpful during this crisis, but you don't have money to donate, Ben has another idea, another way you can help.

But first, here he is performing "Life in Quarantine," a song he wrote ten days ago.

Ben is also performing a livestreamed concert from his home every day at 4 p.m. on Youtube and Facebook.

Gibbard is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and Seattle resident. He is the lead vocalist and guitarist of the Grammy-nominated band Death Cab for Cutie, with which he has recorded nine studio albums, and is one half of the electronic duo the Postal Service. Gibbard released his debut solo album, Former Lives, in 2012, and a collaborative studio album, One Fast Move or I'm Gone (2009), with Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt's Jay Farrar.

Ben Gibbard is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, runner, and film buff.
Ben Gibbard is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, runner, film buff, and livestreamer. Photo by Eliot Lee Hazel

If you have a spare sleeping bag or tent that you don't need that you're willing to donate to people who don't have places to live right now, here's that address again where you can drop them off:

The Aurora Commons c/o
Lisa Etter-Carlson
927 N. 89th St
Seattle WA 98103

Thank you for this idea, Ben. And thank you so much for sharing this song with us.

Good luck in quarantine today, everyone.


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Also in this series:


John Rodericks message to the city on April 3.
John Roderick's message to the city on April 3.

Bill Cartys message to the city on April 2.
Bill Carty's message to the city on April 2.

Price Suddarths message to the city on April 1.
Price Suddarth's message to the city on April 1.

Kary Waysons message to the city on March 31.
Kary Wayson's message to the city on March 31.

Ellen Forneys message to the city on March 30.
Ellen Forney's message to the city on March 30.

Major Scaless message to the city on March 29.
Major Scales's message to the city on March 29.

E. J. Kohs message to the city on March 28.
E. J. Koh's message to the city on March 28.

Ken Jenningss message to the city on March 27.
Ken Jennings's message to the city on March 27.

Demarre McGills message to the city on March 26.
Demarre McGill's message to the city on March 26.

Lynn Sheltons Message to the City on March 25th.
Lynn Shelton's Message to the City on March 25th.

Timothy White Eagles message to the city on March 24.
Timothy White Eagle's message to the city on March 24.

Cookie Coutures message to the city on March 23.
Cookie Couture's message to the city on March 23.

Sarah Rudinoffs message to the city on March 22.
Sarah Rudinoff's message to the city on March 22.

John Osebolds message to the city on March 21.
John Osebold's message to the city on March 21.


Ben Gibbards message to the city on March 21.
Ben Gibbard's message to the city on March 20.

Nathan Chans message to the city on March 19.
Nathan Chan's message to the city on March 19.