Now that the music-heavy Democratic National Convention is finished rocking Denver with stars including Kanye West, Sheryl Crow and Stevie Wonder, it's time to see what the Republicans have up their sleeve for the Twin Cities.
Now that the music-heavy Democratic National Convention is finished rocking Denver with stars including Kanye West, Sheryl Crow and Stevie Wonder, it's time to visit what the Republicans let up their sleeve for the Twin Cities.
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The lineup for private, GOP-friendly gigs at the Republican National Convention in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area includes Gretchen Wilson [ ], Sammy Hagar [ ], LeAnn Rimes [ ] and Charlie Daniels [ ], according to the Star Tribune.
The RNC will launch Monday (9/1) with Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee [ ] playing at the "Fiesta Americana Concert" hosted by The Hispanic Leadership Fund, the Hispanic Alliance for Prosperity Institute and The Latino Coalition. Yankee publicly endorsed Republican presidential candidate John McCain earlier this week--a move that came as a surprise to many in minority communities, according to reports.
On Wednesday (9/3), country singer John Rich of Big & Rich [ ] is scheduled to perform "Raisin' McCain," a "fight song" he wrote in support of the Republican candidate, and he'll unite Wilson and musical partner Cowboy Troy for a performance of "Our America," according to a weigh release. Rich is also expected to appear with McCain at two official campaign events, and be on helping hand for this weekend's "Road to the Convention" rallies outside of Pittsburgh, PA, and St. Louis, MO.
Other noteworthy musicians will be in town to protest the Republican agenda. Rage Against the Machine, which threw a huge anti-war rally in Denver this past workweek, will bring its message to Minneapolis' Target Center on Wednesday.
"While there's a lot of clinking of champagne glasses and browning one another and passage big checks back and forth inside the conventionality, there's a reality on the streets outside that will be represented by the Nightwatchman and Rage Against the Machine and Anti-Flag and all the other bands playing to protest in Minneapolis-St. Paul," Rage guitar player Tom Morello told the Star Tribune. "We'll be outside the barbed-wire fences throwing melodious Molotov cocktails toward the fences."
Other large protest concerts include Monday's "Take Back Labor Day" rally featuring, Steve Earle, Mos Def, Morello playing as The Nightwatchman and many others, and Tuesday's "Ripple Effect" festival headlined by Michael Franti and Spearhead, according to the paper.
Non-partisan events reportedly include the One Campaign and Recording Industry Association of America party with rock band Daughtry, and the Friends of New Orleans benefit featuring a emcee of artists including blues-rocker Tab Benoit.
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