Live Earth @ National Mall (Garth Brooks/Trisha Yearwood

[Chulahoma]

lame headliners, but its happening....
 
 Al Gore announced Friday a surprise Live Earth concert in Washington, foiling Senate Republicans who blocked Gore's attempt to bring his global warming extravaganza to the grounds of the U.S. Capitol.
  The former vice president said the all-day "Mother Earth" concert would be held on the National Mall at the National Museum of the American Indian - about two blocks from the Capitol - as part of Saturday's concert series focused on climate change. The headliners are Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood.
  "Global warming naysayers in the political world have not been able to have their way, because this will - despite their best efforts - be held on the Mall," Gore told The Associated Press.
  The "Mother Earth" show had been previously planned, but Gore announced Friday that it would be part of the Live Earth series. The concert will also feature films, music, dancing and guest speakers, including scientists and cultural leaders from the American Indian community.
  "There is no more important matter before us than the question of how to live sustainably on the Earth," said Tim Johnson, acting director of the American Indian museum and a descendant of the Mohawk tribe.
  There are eight other Live Earth concerts scheduled Saturday, starting in Australia and continuing to London, New Jersey, Japan, China, South Africa, Brazil and Germany.
  Earlier this year, Republican leaders in the Senate refused Gore's request to host one of the concerts on the Capitol grounds facing the Washington Monument. The denial came after Gore testified before House and Senate panels in March about what he calls a "true planetary emergency."
  Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., who has called global warming a hoax, led the move to squash the Capitol concert. A spokesman said at the time that Inhofe objected to using the Capitol for events that are partisan or politically controversial. Inhofe said the "Gore concert is both." He did not immediately return a phone call Friday.
  Gore, a Democrat, said Friday that global warming "is not a political issue; it's a moral issue. Nevertheless, some of the issues will have to be worked out in the political system."
  Gore said he was pleased that the concert would be audible at both the Capitol and the White House.
  "A couple of the global warming deniers tried to deny it with parliamentary maneuvers," he said. "The cavalry didn't come riding to the rescue; the American Indians did." -- Associated Press
 
 source: pollstar.com
 http://pollstar.com/news/viewnews.pl?NewsID=8096

[kosmo vinyl]

lets see concrete plaza, no shade, temps in the 90s, garth brooks... think i can safely pass this one up  

[sweetcell]

wow, what a disappointment... first we're denied the main event (the one that is now at Giant stadium), and then they add insult to injury with this line-up?  what with the last-second announcement, i'd doubt that many people will show up.
 
 just for the fun of it - any other acts announced?  is it going to be all country all the time?

[kosmo vinyl]

Brooks and Yearwood were last minute additions for an already planned event.  It could be a big deal for Garth fans as he rarely performs.  But, it seems like a bit of a fuss for the one song each he and his wife are scheduled to do...
 
 <snippet from WaPo story>
 In contrast, the space at the American Indian museum's plaza, where the concert will be held, can only hold about 200, but video screens will be set up for larger crowds to gather across the street near the Capitol reflecting pool.
 
 The museum had already scheduled a concert called "Mother Earth" to coincide with the Live Earth events, but expanded that in the last few days to include Gore and more performers.
 
 Gore will kick off the Washington concert with a speech on climate change that will be followed by performances by popular married country singers Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood and Native Roots, a reggae band from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

[Driveway]

Smashing Pumpkins Please!!!

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

What a bunch of whiners. I know it's not John Mayer or Jon Bongiovi, but be thankful to Uncle Al for coming through for ya!

[sweetcell]

wow, rhett being thankful for mediocrity - now we've seen it all.  in other news, below is the official announcemnt from the live earth list - note the inlcusion of "national blues" (never heard of the band) and aboriginal punk (never heard of the genre).  i'm planning on going for a nice long run tomorrow, i think i'll do it around the mall and pass by the show once or twice.
 
 
 HELLO, DC!
 A LIVE EARTH SPECIAL BROADCAST EVENT IN YOUR AREA HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED!
 Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian Hosts 'Mother Earth' Event for Climate Change in the Spirit of Live Earth Project
 
 The Event Features Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore
 and Performances By Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood
 
 The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian announced that it will host a special concert event called "Mother Earth" Saturday, July 7 from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., with musical performances and speakers from the scientific and American Indian cultural communities in the spirit of the Live Earth message.
 
 Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who is chair of the Alliance for Climate Protection and partner of Live Earth, is among the speakers who will deliver remarks about climate change during the welcoming ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Performances by country music artists Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood and original and classic blues band Blues Nation follow immediately afterward. As part of this environmental message, the museum will make the broadcast of "Mother Earth" available to Live Earth for worldwide broadcast.
 
 "As a museum of living cultures, the National Museum of the American Indian is pleased to host 'Mother Earth,'" said Tim Johnson (Mohawk), acting director of the museum. "'Mother Earth' is part of the museum's commitment to raising awareness of sustainable living and elevating the understanding of global climate change through innovative educational and cultural programs."
 
 "Mother Earth" - 12 hours of concerts, speakers and film - is free and open to the public. The event will take place outdoors at the National Museum of the American Indian's Welcome Plaza (Fourth Street and Independence Avenue S.W., facing the U.S. Capitol). The full-day event will feature films; guest speakers; and Native American rock, funk, punk, reggae, gospel and Andean music, with a finale by Blues Nation at 9:30 p.m.
 
 The schedule of Events for "Mother Earth" can be found at the museum's web site (http://www.americanindian.si.edu/motherearth/)

[sweetcell]

http://www.americanindian.si.edu/motherearth/ also had a schedule for the day, in case there is a particular part of the program you don't want to miss.  personally i'm sure the day's highlight will be Breaking Wind  

[azaghal1981]

Sweetcell check your pm's

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

um, they're called Blues Nation.
 
 And if you're into mainstream country, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are certainly several notches above mediocre.
 
 
 

Originally posted by sweetcell:
  wow, rhett being thankful for mediocrity - now we've seen it all.  in other news, below is the official announcemnt from the live earth list - note the inlcusion of "national blues" (never heard of the band) and aboriginal punk (never heard of the genre).  i'm planning on going for a nice long run tomorrow, i think i'll do it around the mall and pass by the show once or twice.
 
 
 HELLO, DC!
 A LIVE EARTH SPECIAL BROADCAST EVENT IN YOUR AREA HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED!
 Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian Hosts 'Mother Earth' Event for Climate Change in the Spirit of Live Earth Project
 
 The Event Features Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore
 and Performances By Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood
 
 The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian announced that it will host a special concert event called "Mother Earth" Saturday, July 7 from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., with musical performances and speakers from the scientific and American Indian cultural communities in the spirit of the Live Earth message.
 
 Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who is chair of the Alliance for Climate Protection and partner of Live Earth, is among the speakers who will deliver remarks about climate change during the welcoming ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Performances by country music artists Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood and original and classic blues band Blues Nation follow immediately afterward. As part of this environmental message, the museum will make the broadcast of "Mother Earth" available to Live Earth for worldwide broadcast.
 
 "As a museum of living cultures, the National Museum of the American Indian is pleased to host 'Mother Earth,'" said Tim Johnson (Mohawk), acting director of the museum. "'Mother Earth' is part of the museum's commitment to raising awareness of sustainable living and elevating the understanding of global climate change through innovative educational and cultural programs."
 
 "Mother Earth" - 12 hours of concerts, speakers and film - is free and open to the public. The event will take place outdoors at the National Museum of the American Indian's Welcome Plaza (Fourth Street and Independence Avenue S.W., facing the U.S. Capitol). The full-day event will feature films; guest speakers; and Native American rock, funk, punk, reggae, gospel and Andean music, with a finale by Blues Nation at 9:30 p.m.
 
 The schedule of Events for "Mother Earth" can be found at the museum's web site (http://www.americanindian.si.edu/motherearth/)

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

Iwas just warching converage on tv, and believe it or not, James Carville was wearing a villain outfit, singing about being a rat in a cage. Pretty fucking comical.

[Charlie Nakatestes, Japanese Golfer]

Did anybody else catch this collaboration? I thought it most excellent...much better than the John Mayer/Kanye West sit-in with the Police...
 
 LONDON (Billboard) - Madonna has invited Eugene Hutz, Gogol Bordello's self-styled "bandleader and agent provocateur," and Sergey Ryabtsev, the New York gypsy punk act's violinist, to perform with her at Live Earth on Saturday (July 7).
 
 Their participation in the Wembley Stadium leg of the environmental awareness Live Earth spectacular has consequently forced Gogol Bordello to cancel its appearance at the T in the Park festival in Scotland.
 
 According to a spokesperson, the invitation from Madonna stems from an unrelated project Hutz is working on with the pop star. The day after Hutz and Ryabtsev play at Live Earth, they will join the rest of Gogol Bordello to perform at the Oxegen Festival in Ireland.

[kosmo vinyl]

dunno about seeing the GB dude with Madonna by I wasn't paying attention during the airing of "ray of light"...
 
 all in all the London line-up was far superior then the US and thanks to DVR was able to skip the vast majority of the show.  Actually KT Tunstall was pretty much it for the NYC show.  Yikes has Bon Jovi ever gone country, guess thats what happens when you lose the top part of your vocals.  Bloc Party never even got aired on Bravo

[sweetcell]

- ran by the mall yesterday, and there was an impressive crowd gathered at the museum of the american indian.  they could/should have had it in a bigger space 'cause the eastern side where they had it was packed solid, somewhere in the 400-500 people range i guestimate.  Blues Nation were playing when i was there, very decent electric blues band made up of american indians in their 50's and 60's.  i quite enjoyed the two songs we stopped to listen to.  aside: there was some sort of a gospel/religious concert on the mall itself.  my girlfriend put forth the hypothesis that it was a conservative/republican anti-live earth concert, "if we can't stop them then we'll block them with a more visible show".  *if* that was the case, didn't work.
 
 - had live earth streaming on the computer, in the backround, for most of the afternoon.  the foos were predictably good, emphasis on predictable.  rio looked like it would have been the most fun to attend.  i really liked the beastie's performance of "sabotage" (keyboardist was knutz) but didn't get the impression that the crowd was that into them.  pussycat doll's main talent seems to be their asses and their ability to shout out    :roll:  
 
 - yes, i caught GB with madonna, and it was indeed hilarious.  they first appeared during "la isla bonita", where there was a gypsy'ish section added in before each chorus.  madonna had a higly choreographed routine, and the GB boys were having nothing of it.  their second appearance on her set was like something out of a 50's comedy: clueless dude lands on stage in the middle of a chorus line and at first tries mimicking the steps, fails, then does his own thing.  highly recommended viewing: on-demand replays =  http://liveearth.msn.com/

[Vas Deferens]

There were some anti-Gore people there yesterday, including one holding "Stop this Global Warming Hysteria!".
 
 

Originally posted by sweetcell:
  - ran by the mall yesterday, and there was an impressive crowd gathered at the museum of the american indian.  they could/should have had it in a bigger space 'cause the eastern side where they had it was packed solid, somewhere in the 400-500 people range i guestimate.  Blues Nation were playing when i was there, very decent electric blues band made up of american indians in their 50's and 60's.  i quite enjoyed the two songs we stopped to listen to.  aside: there was some sort of a gospel/religious concert on the mall itself.  my girlfriend put forth the hypothesis that it was a conservative/republican anti-live earth concert, "if we can't stop them then we'll block them with a more visible show".  *if* that was the case, didn't work.