SmokeDog420
New Member
You should feel sorry for any Republican Dave Matthews fans who skipped Tuesday's Vote for Change benefit concert at the Kohl Center, afraid that the event would turn into an anti-Bush rally.
True, proceeds from the show, which also featured Ben Harper, Jurassic 5 and My Morning Jacket, went to America Coming Together, a progressive get-out-the-vote organization. Other activists were on hand outside the arena and roaming the hallways, handing out postcards for the John Kerry documentary "Going Upriver" and signing volunteers up.
"I think it'll drum up support for progressive candidates," said student Abby Davidson, who was handing out the "Going Upriver" cards. "It'll help get out the vote for young people, who don't traditionally come out on Election Day."
But the concert itself was surprisingly light on politics. There were no political speakers between sets, no ads on the large video screens, not even a "Vote for Change" banner behind the stage. Instead, it was just a great night of music from start to finish, nearly five hours' worth.
That seemed to be what fans like John Pulkrabek, 29, wanted. Before the show, Pulkrabek, who described himself as undecided but "leaning left" for this year's presidential election, said he wasn't looking to be preached to. "I'm just hoping for as much music as possible, and from what I've heard, that's how it is."
Downplaying politics was the safe bet for the artists, and it was probably the smart bet, too. After all, there were almost 12,000 people in the audience, and it's doubtful all of them had subscriptions to "Mother Jones." It was a much more wide-ranging audience than, say, the Ani DiFranco and Margaret Cho show at the Overture Center last week, so it made sense to keep the message inclusive rather than exclusive.
The genial Matthews did make one political statement during his band's two-and-a-half-hour set, but even that began as nonpartisan. "When you're in that booth on Nov. 2, it's all up to you who to vote for, and good luck to you," he told the audience. "Having said that, my personal feeling is that we need a change in this country." That comment got a huge ovation from the crowd.
Matthews and his band spoke even louder with a terrific set that underscored why they've been one of the best live bands in the business for over a decade now. While some of their songs can sound a little "white bread" on the radio, in concert the band jolts those same songs to life with clever and unorthodox arrangements and fantastic musicianship. What other popular band gives a violinist and a horn player such prominent roles?
Songs like "So Much To Say" can explode from a quiet acoustic shuffle to a noisome funk-rock blast, then shift sideways into a drum solo or an acoustic jam. Every member of the Dave Matthews Band is tops with their instrument, and their collective sound is built around their individual styles.
The set started off slow and languid, and then shifted into high gear about halfway through with hits like "Too Much" and "Tripping Billies." For the closer, Matthews invited Harper on stage for a ferocious cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower." Usually such pairings are more for show than anything else, but it was a great combination, with the precise dance of Matthews' acoustic guitar played against the big, Hendrix-like growls of Harper's electric guitar.
Harper's own 50-minute set found him to be much more energized than in recent Madison appearances, where he played most of the show while seated. At the Kohl Center, he bounded and danced around the stage, at one point hurdling over his percussionist. His music was similarly juiced up, jumping from reggae ("My Own Two Hands") to funk ("Steal My Kisses") to soul ("Brown Eyed Blues").
Harper's own political remarks came when he made a pro-marijuana reference before singing "Burn One Down," and then I think he tried to turn it into a subtle jab at President Bush. It was hard to hear, though, because all the college students were still cheering the pro-marijuana reference so loudly.
The hip-hop group Jurassic 5 wasn't nearly so subtle when it referenced POTUS (president of the United States) in their song "Ducky Boy." At one point in the song, they shouted out a three-word phrase, the last two words of which are "the president."
Five different Vote for Change tours are under way this week. John Mellencamp and Babyface were in Milwaukee last night, while Bruce Springsteen and R.E.M. were in St. Paul. All the tours will converge in Washington, D.C., on Monday for a grand finale concert that will be carried live on WMMM/FM 105.5 and the Sundance Channel.
Source: Capital Times, The (WI)
Author: Rob Thomas
Published: October 6, 2004
Copyright: 2004 The Capital Times
Contact: tctvoice@madison.com
Website: Cap Times
True, proceeds from the show, which also featured Ben Harper, Jurassic 5 and My Morning Jacket, went to America Coming Together, a progressive get-out-the-vote organization. Other activists were on hand outside the arena and roaming the hallways, handing out postcards for the John Kerry documentary "Going Upriver" and signing volunteers up.
"I think it'll drum up support for progressive candidates," said student Abby Davidson, who was handing out the "Going Upriver" cards. "It'll help get out the vote for young people, who don't traditionally come out on Election Day."
But the concert itself was surprisingly light on politics. There were no political speakers between sets, no ads on the large video screens, not even a "Vote for Change" banner behind the stage. Instead, it was just a great night of music from start to finish, nearly five hours' worth.
That seemed to be what fans like John Pulkrabek, 29, wanted. Before the show, Pulkrabek, who described himself as undecided but "leaning left" for this year's presidential election, said he wasn't looking to be preached to. "I'm just hoping for as much music as possible, and from what I've heard, that's how it is."
Downplaying politics was the safe bet for the artists, and it was probably the smart bet, too. After all, there were almost 12,000 people in the audience, and it's doubtful all of them had subscriptions to "Mother Jones." It was a much more wide-ranging audience than, say, the Ani DiFranco and Margaret Cho show at the Overture Center last week, so it made sense to keep the message inclusive rather than exclusive.
The genial Matthews did make one political statement during his band's two-and-a-half-hour set, but even that began as nonpartisan. "When you're in that booth on Nov. 2, it's all up to you who to vote for, and good luck to you," he told the audience. "Having said that, my personal feeling is that we need a change in this country." That comment got a huge ovation from the crowd.
Matthews and his band spoke even louder with a terrific set that underscored why they've been one of the best live bands in the business for over a decade now. While some of their songs can sound a little "white bread" on the radio, in concert the band jolts those same songs to life with clever and unorthodox arrangements and fantastic musicianship. What other popular band gives a violinist and a horn player such prominent roles?
Songs like "So Much To Say" can explode from a quiet acoustic shuffle to a noisome funk-rock blast, then shift sideways into a drum solo or an acoustic jam. Every member of the Dave Matthews Band is tops with their instrument, and their collective sound is built around their individual styles.
The set started off slow and languid, and then shifted into high gear about halfway through with hits like "Too Much" and "Tripping Billies." For the closer, Matthews invited Harper on stage for a ferocious cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower." Usually such pairings are more for show than anything else, but it was a great combination, with the precise dance of Matthews' acoustic guitar played against the big, Hendrix-like growls of Harper's electric guitar.
Harper's own 50-minute set found him to be much more energized than in recent Madison appearances, where he played most of the show while seated. At the Kohl Center, he bounded and danced around the stage, at one point hurdling over his percussionist. His music was similarly juiced up, jumping from reggae ("My Own Two Hands") to funk ("Steal My Kisses") to soul ("Brown Eyed Blues").
Harper's own political remarks came when he made a pro-marijuana reference before singing "Burn One Down," and then I think he tried to turn it into a subtle jab at President Bush. It was hard to hear, though, because all the college students were still cheering the pro-marijuana reference so loudly.
The hip-hop group Jurassic 5 wasn't nearly so subtle when it referenced POTUS (president of the United States) in their song "Ducky Boy." At one point in the song, they shouted out a three-word phrase, the last two words of which are "the president."
Five different Vote for Change tours are under way this week. John Mellencamp and Babyface were in Milwaukee last night, while Bruce Springsteen and R.E.M. were in St. Paul. All the tours will converge in Washington, D.C., on Monday for a grand finale concert that will be carried live on WMMM/FM 105.5 and the Sundance Channel.
Source: Capital Times, The (WI)
Author: Rob Thomas
Published: October 6, 2004
Copyright: 2004 The Capital Times
Contact: tctvoice@madison.com
Website: Cap Times
