A few weeks later, Flobots returned and opened Fourth of July weekend with a powerful take on what the United States has been at its worst and could be at its best. The timing of this July 2 show couldn’t have been better; it should become an annual tradition at Levitt.
So many Independence Day celebrations are jingoistic displays of grotesque nationalism, paying tribute to the ghosts of long-dead slave owners without a blink. These festivities ignore centuries of brutality and struggles for justice. Orchestras blast militaristic music, drowning out the dream of a good life for all, one not built on the backs and graves of the oppressed. The powerful bulldoze the powerless out of the narrative, distracting us with sparklers, hot dogs and a case of beer. Fireworks splatter the sky. Happy Fourth of July, kids. Isn t America grand?