Bands Gather to Stump Against Bush

AP ^ | Aug 4, 2004

[Leroy S. Mort]

NEW YORK (AP) - In an unprecedented series of concerts in nine swing states, more than 20 musical acts - including Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and the Dixie Chicks - will perform fund-raising concerts one month before the Nov. 2 election in an effort to unseat President Bush.

The shows, which will begin Oct. 1 in Pennsylvania, will take an unusual approach: as many as six concerts on a single day in cities across the states expected to decide the November presidential race. Other stops on the tour are North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin and the key state in 2000, Florida.

``We're trying to put forward a group of progressive ideals and change the administration in the White House,'' Springsteen told The Associated Press in the most overtly political statements of his 30-year career. ``That's the success or failure, very clear cut and very simple.''

The artists of different generations and genres will tour under the name ``Vote For Change,'' with shows Oct. 1-8. But the money generated will go to America Coming Together, which promises on its Web site to ``derail the right-wing Republican agenda by defeating George W. Bush.''

The anticipated millions of dollars will be spent in the swing states before the presidential election, said ACT president Ellen Malcolm.

The shows will be presented by MoveOn Pac, the electoral arm of the liberal interest group MoveOn.org, with an official announcement expected Wednesday.

There was no immediate word on prices for tickets, which were going on sale for all shows Aug. 21. The shows will pair artists, such as Springsteen and REM or the Dixie Chicks and James Taylor. There will be 34 shows in 28 cities.

Natalie Maines, of the Dixie Chicks, who memorably told a London audience last year that she was ashamed to share her home state of Texas with Bush, echoed a Springsteen comment that this was the most important election of their lives.

``A change is in order,'' Maines said. ``There's never been a political climate like this, which is so the polar opposite of me as a person and what I believe in.''

The idea was hatched by several of the acts' managers, and quickly expanded. ``Once we started talking to each other, ideas started percolating and other artists started reaching out to us,'' said Jon Landau, Springsteen's manager.

Other artists participating in the shows include hip-hoppers Jurassic 5, John Mellencamp, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Babyface, Bright Eyes and the Dave Matthews Band. Most have a history of social activism, from Browne's anti-nuclear concerts to Mellencamp's Farm Aid shows. Pearl Jam front man Vedder was a Ralph Nader backer in 2000.

``At some point, you can't sit still,'' said Vedder, a harsh critic of the Iraq war. ``You can't spend your life, when people are getting killed, without asking serious questions about why.''

Springsteen said he didn't fear any backlash over going public with his personal politics.

``It's a pretty clear-cut decision in November,'' said Springsteen, whose songs have provided a backdrop for some Kerry events. ``We're chipping in our two cents. That's all we're trying to do.''

On the Net:

ACT: http://www.actforvictory.org

MoveOn: http://www.moveon.org

[itsamelman]

``At some point, you can't sit still,'' said Vedder... ``You can't spend your life, when people are getting killed, without asking serious questions about why.''

I could argue that this statement justifies our invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq.

To paraphrase Victor Davis Hanson, 3 million Afghani girls aren't going to school today because of a bunch of hippies with guitars, they're going to school because of the U.S. Marine Corps.

[locochupacabra]

LIST OF BANDS PERFORMING AT VOTE FOR CHANGE

Pearl Jam
Death Cab for Cutie
Dave Matthews Band
Jurassic 5
My Morning Jacket
Jackson Browne
Bonnie Raitt
Keb Mo
Bruce Springsteen and the E St. Band
REM
John Fogerty
Bright Eyes
Dixie Chicks
James Taylor
John Mellencamp
Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds

Good thing I haven't heard of half of these bands.

[No Blue States]

none of them will get my money again.

I hope nobody comes.

[sasafras]

I have to disagree

These performers should just shut up.

[Dems_R_Losers]

I am posting this on every thread about these concerts.

I have been a huge Bruce Springsteen fan for years. I've seen him ten times, have all of his albums, and over two dozen bootleg CDs and DVDs of his shows. One of his songs almost literally saved my life, it was the only thing that kept me going through a crippling depression. The CDs are all going in the trash today. When Bruce was young and stupid, he did the No Nukes shows and I didn't really care. But this is different. He is 55 years old and should know better.

After 9/11, the New York Times for over year ran its "Portraits of Grief" column spotlighting each person killed in the World Trade Center. A huge number of them were reported to be devoted Springsteen fans, especially many of the firefighters. They were not liberals. He is spitting on their graves and giving the finger to all of his blue-collar New Jersey fan base. It's despicable. Of all the performers that need to just shut up and sing, he is at the top of the list. He had too many fans that died on 9/11 and others that were personally affected by it. It's hard for me to fathom that he could be so dense as to not see this.

If he thinks this will not affect his career or his image, he is dumber than I thought. He has legions of fans that are going to be as pissed off as I am and will never support him again. He was booed heartily at the end of last year's tour for just a few mild comments against Bush. This is not going to go down well with his fans at all. The message boards on his website are practically melting down today.

If Springsteen comes to the Philadelphia area (I am moving there at the end of August) I will personally lead the FReep of his show and I will burn my Springsteen T-shirts.

[subterfuge]

What is the tour schedule? I'd love to see these guys (get FReeped)!

[spodefly]

BUMP

[Catholic Iowan]

I guess I'll have to miss the "Commies For Kerry" concert. (Or is that "Ba$tard$ Against Bush?")

Fortunately, I have no CDs of any of these bands listed that are participating in this nonsense. My only disappointment is that one of my favorite singers, Allison Krauss, did a duet a year or so ago with that jerk, James Taylor. Hopefully, that was just a brief mental lapse by Allison.

[locochupacabra]

Link to tour schedule

I'd be down with a FReeping!

[I'm ALL Right!]

Too bad about James Taylor...used to be a favorite of mine. No more money goes out to these folks...oh, looks like the Dixie Chicks are trying to get a career again after they offended their core audience beyond repair. We were just discussing on how GONE they were.

[longtermmemmory]

A list of musicians who just killed their careers.

[navygal]

Sounds like we should give them some full frontal Nugenty, and a few others

[Pharmer]

"Is any of this somehow a Campaign Finance Reform violation?"

Nothing "somehow" about it! This is a clear violation! letter and spirit! Don't you just love how the liberals demand laws that they have no intention of adhering to?

[Sprite518]

Wow these bands must be desperate for fans! All of them have not had a hit CD in quite some time. Perhaps they are taking after the Hollywood crowd?

[mattdono]

Finnman69 Gathers CDs of Bush Bashing Artists and Stomps them.

Finn...you rule! I have, long ago, thrown out these CDs. I have been using my Pearl Jam BInaural CD for a coaster for a while.

[Ciexyz]

They'll never get a dollar from me ever again.

[longtermmemmory]

I think you hit it on the head. I think they are drinking the coolaid of the DNC. They believe there are enough kerry voters who will pay for a prolonged political ad.

I wonder who is going to realy make money off of this concert. I bet it will be something like "a portion". IOW a microscopic amount will go to the campaigns the real money will go to the performers, the managers, and the empty venues.

In addition I bet they will give away THOUSANDS of tickets to radio stations in hopes they will play these dead end artists.

I must be about the book keeping and not any political cause.

[subterfuge]

Thanks loco.

Got it down. Bruce and the mE-Street Band can expect a FReeping in Orlando, October 8th.

[NormsRevenge]

Hitler had his followers too...

**Several of the recording artists who make up 'Vote for Change' are shown in this photo released in New York, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2004. Members of the group will perform in a series of fund-raising concerts in nine swing states before the presidential election in an effort to unseat President Bush (news - web sites). From left are Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard: Boyd Tinsley of the Dave Matthews Band, Jackson Browne (news); Martie Maguire of the Dixie Chicks (news - web sites), Steven Van Zandt (news) from Bruce Springsteen (news) and the E Street Band, Dave Matthews, Bruce Springsteen, Emily Robison of the Dixie Chicks, Patti Scialfa of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Eddie Vedder (news) of Pearl Jam, Bonnie Raitt (news), Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie, John Mellencamp (news), Nick Harmer of Death Cab for Cutie and R.E.M (news - web sites)'s Mike Mills. (AP Photo/Vote for Change, Danny Clinch, HO)

[frankenMonkey]

This Springsteen fan and Vietnam Vet just became an ex-Springsteen fan. buh-bye.