Tag: concert

Aug 13, 2012 - Pegi and Neil Young held another benefit concert for their Bridge School, a school that JTMP has reported on numerous times where they help kids with special needs using innovative techniques. Many musicians were on hand to help out, such as Bruce Springsteen, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Simon and Garfunkel, The Pretenders (see video below!) and of even the man himself, Neil Young. The concert was filmed and is airing on your local PBS station. To find out times the show is airing in your area to watch the entire concert, punch in your Zip Code and check out PBS.org here.

Their Bridge School specializes in programs for the communicative and educational development of children with severe speech and physical impairments. Find out more about the great work they do on the Bridge School's website here.

June 14. 2012 -Jeff Ament from Pearl Jam and Senator Jon Tester (D)  from Montana have teamed up to raise funds for the Senator's reelection campaign by offering The "best seats in the world" at Pearl Jam's upcoming concert in Missoula, Montana on September 30, 2012. The contest is a chance to meet Jeff Ament, Pearl Jam's bassist and Montana native, and John Tester before the show. The contest is called "Best Seats in the World & VIP", where 2 very lucky people will watch the concert, get this, from recliners on the stage! All expenses paid too! To enter the contest all one has to do is head over to Senator Tester's site and help him out in his effort to keep his senate seat. 

Earlier they were giving away ticket packages to donors, but those are all sold out due to high demand, but the contest is still under way. To find out more about this, you can listen to an radio interview clip of Jeff and Jon on 96.3 The Blaze from Montana, and also check out: JonTester.com/pearljam.   (photo credit: Craig Carper\Wiki)

(photo courtesy of RockBeyondbelief.com)

MAR 26, 2012 – A group of freethinkers mainly compromised of men and women in the armed services, are holding a “Rock Beyond Belief” concert at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and will be sponsored and funded by the Stiefel Freethought Foundation and the American Atheists Association. This is being held in response to the US government funding, coordinating and allowing the use of the military base property by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association back in September of 2010 for a “Rock the Fort” concert that was very “evangelical in nature” to say the least. Estimates are that over $50,000 of taxpayer funds spent on that event that was basically an Evangelical Christian church service. Rock Beyond Belief's event’s chief organizer Sgt. Justin Griffith said, "This is perhaps the first step in a new direction away from the evangelical proselytism that has permeated the military for decades.” He also added that at first he and his group were met with resistance, and it was a “bitter pill” for his superiors to swallow. They tried putting paperwork roadblocks up and Sgt. Griffith felt they were not getting the same support the Christian-based “Rock the Fort”” event got.  After a cancelling and some pressure, they eventually gave the green light for the event.

The event will have music from freethinker musicians and bands, such as Aiden, rapper Baba Brinkman, music/comedian Jeffrey Lewis, Spoonboy,  Words Such as Burn, and Roy Zimmerman. There will also be speakers such as Richard Dawkins and others. Many organizations will be also be a part of the event who have been dealing with the issue of religious freedom (including the freedom to be left alone about religion) such as the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, who point out that soldiers take on oath to defend the Constitution, a document that is completely secular and contains no reference to “God” whatsoever. Mikey Weinstein from MRFF said, "You are basically told that you lack intellectual integrity, courage, character and honorability. Rock Beyond Belief is an attempt to stick a fist up in the sky and say, 'We have our rights.'"

This follows the heels of the Reason Rally week here in DC, where freethinkers, humanists, secularists, atheists, agnostics and others gathered on the National Mall calling for science and reason. To learn more about the concert and to get involved, check out the Rock Beyond Belief website. 

FEB 6, 2012 - Occupy Palm Beach has been a model for Occupy movements for other cities. The government has granted them access to land, and even water and electricity, and everything has been peaceful and a model for free speech rights. However, the city of Palm Beach is asking for funds to pay for the electricity, water, and upkeep of the encampment. So the folks at Occupy Palm Beach are planning a benefit concert to raise funds. It is titled, "Benefit for the 99%", tentatively scheduled for the weekend of February 25.

On the Broward Palm Beach NewTimes Blog, Alex Rendon says "They are asking for a "little help from friends." So if you are a musician in tune with the 99 percent who would like to get down with the cause and/or are a performing artist in other media, including poets, dancers, and acrobats, you're also welcome. Contact occupypbc @ gmail.com to get involved." Read the full NewTimes Blog here.