Rage Against the Machine to stage free concert at Tent State
Rage Against the Machine to roll out free concert
By Mark Brown, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published August 15, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Photo by ratm.com
Rage Against the Machine
All of a sudden Tent State University's vow to bring 50,000 protesters to Denver seems within reach.
The game changed Thursday when Rage Against the Machine announced a free concert for the anti-war group.
"We're honored that they came," said Tent State organizer Adam Jung. "It's going to bring more attention and get the message out and make it stronger to the delegates and the public: Immediately end the war.
Sixteen months is too long. We're going to hold the Democratic Party and every other elected official accountable."
The Aug. 27 show at the 10,500-seat Denver Coliseum now has a headliner that easily fills arenas twice that size. Free tickets to the show will be distributed through a lottery system.
Concerns about crowd
City Councilwoman Judy Montero, whose district includes the Denver Coliseum and Cuernavaca Park, where Tent State University will be headquartered, expressed concern.
"I have questions about the park's capacity for handling the crowd," she said Thursday afternoon. "I just don't know how many people will be coming. The numbers are all over the map."
An official with the city overseeing the concert said all the normal protections will be in place.
"We will have all of the standard precautions and services in place that we would at any other show, including stagehands, ushers, ticket takers, venue security, police, fire, paramedics, etc." said Jenny Schiavone of Denver's Theaters and Arenas.
"Every event booked into the building must also meet our insurance requirements, and this show will be no exception. From our perspective, this will really be no different than any other event we book into any of our facilities."
The band has headlined huge festivals in the U.S. including Lollapalooza this year and Coachella in 2007.
The band has rarely performed since taking a seven- year hiatus, making the Denver date all the more alluring to fans.
"There's a lot of popularity with that group," said Gary Bongiovanni, editor of Pollstar.
Rage played to 25,000 fans in Italy in June for a $1.2 million gross. Rage and all artists are playing for free and picking up some of the expenses.
Local band on bill
Also on the bill are local political band The Flobots, Wayne Kramer of the MC5 (which played at the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago) and more.
"It's going to come off great," said Jung. "There are a lot of volunteers, a lot of people volunteering their time and making sure this goes off without a hitch."
The band, which will be playing a show opposite the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, has been politically active since its inception in the early 1990s.
Guitarist Tom Morello told the Rocky Mountain News in a 2007 interview "real change doesn't come from crossing your fingers and hope you get a better president next time. We've had abominable wars under Democratic administrations as well . . . It feels like we're on this train that is hell-bound and there's no way to do anything about it . . . what we fail to do now will determine the path the country goes in."
Denver's Flobots have taken off nationwide on the strength of Handlebars, a rap/rock song about government abuses.
Rage played Lollapalooza recently, with singer Zack de la Rocha making an angry speech, denouncing the war on terror and the government.
Staff writer Abigail Curtis contributed to this report.
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August 15, 2008
5:23 a.m.
Suggest removal
LOUIE writes:
I hope a lot of performers show up; that is perhaps one of the better things to come out of this Democratic National Circus coming to town. Where can one get a master list of performances, venues, and times?
August 15, 2008
8:58 a.m.
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mrtaco writes:
as a person who is not familiar with the group's music, you are wrong.
August 15, 2008
8:58 a.m.
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Mayor_Quimby writes:
Steel, their music was good, though i havent heard a peep out of them in quite some time. I was thinking the name is apt for Obama fans "raging" against the Clinton Machine!
August 15, 2008
9:13 a.m.
Suggest removal
bluecollarbytes writes:
The price of admission is about right. Long time music fan here, of ALL kinds. "Rage" seems to be a nostalgia act now.
August 15, 2008
9:15 a.m.
Suggest removal
JustSayin writes:
A sample of some RATM - Think of this played real, real loud, with intensity
WAKE UP
Come on!
Uggh!
Come on, although ya try to discredit
Ya still never edit
The needle, I'll thread it
Radically poetic
Standin' with the fury that they had in '66
And like E-Double I'm mad
Still knee-deep in the system's shit
Hoover, he was a body remover
I'll give ya a dose
But it'll never come close
To the rage built up inside of me
Fist in the air, in the land of hypocrisy
Movements come and movements go
Leaders speak, movements cease
When their heads are flown
'Cause all these punks
Got bullets in their heads
Departments of police, the judges, the feds
Networks at work, keepin' people calm
You know they went after King
When he spoke out on Vietnam
He turned the power to the have-nots
And then came the shot
Yeah!
Yeah, back in this...
Wit' poetry, my mind I flex
Flip like Wilson, vocals never lackin' dat finesse
Whadda I got to, whadda I got to do to wake ya up
To shake ya up, to break the structure up
'Cause blood still flows in the gutter
I'm like takin' photos
Mad boy kicks open the shutter
Set the groove
Then stick and move like I was Cassius
Rep the stutter step
Then bomb a left upon the fascists
Yea, the several federal men
Who pulled schemes on the dream
And put it to an end
Ya better beware
Of retribution with mind war
20/20 visions and murals with metaphors
Networks at work, keepin' people calm
Ya know they murdered X
And tried to blame it on Islam
He turned the power to the have-nots
And then came the shot
Uggh!
What was the price on his head?
What was the price on his head!
I think I heard a shot
I think I heard a shot
I think I heard a shot
I think I heard a shot
I think I heard a shot
I think I heard, I think I heard a shot
'He may be a real contender for this position should he
abandon his supposed obediance to white liberal doctrine
of non-violence...and embrace black nationalism'
'Through counter-intelligence it should be possible to
pinpoint potential trouble-makers...And neutralize them,
neutralize them, neutralize them'
Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!
Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!
How long? Not long, cause what you reap is what you sow
August 15, 2008
10:13 a.m.
Suggest removal
arvada_mark writes:
I know I'll only have a day to do it (providing I even get a ticket), but how much do you all think I could get for it? I'm thinking $50-$75. I am pro-USA, so I wouldn't be caught dead at that anti-American rally, but I also see me making a profit...even if the keepers of the pee don't. Keep an eye on Craig's List people. Also, next time, leave the lyrics to a good song: Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Running Down a Dream, Big Balls, Holiday; soemthing along those lines.
August 15, 2008
10:23 a.m.
Suggest removal
mrtaco writes:
arvada mark. nobody will buy a ticket from your hillbilly a#$ - they'll see right through your git'r'dun walmart lovin' scheme. you'll have just wasted your time for the hope of an extra hundred bucks to buy lots of "these colors don't run" bumper stickers for your dodge ram. just stay home.
August 15, 2008
10:33 a.m.
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ramblinrose writes:
rage against the darkness of greed! Ain't nothing wrong with Knockin' on Heavens Door but can't imagine Dylan would be disappointed with Rage...rather I think he's proud! Gotta feelin' Petty is more generous than your spirit as well arvada_mark...the show isn't Dylan giving a freebie, nor Petty but Rage Against The Machine...so the song is perfectly appropo...Dylan comes to town gives a freebie show...then Knockin' will be just fine...also, Knockin' ain't much of a political song..."Joey" even "All Along the WatchTower" is at least a try at a political stab but "Heaven?" time to put the smoke down and re-familiarize yourself with Americana...! You won't need a ticket arvada_mark if it is a free concert! Long Live Rage...Down with the Darkness of Greed!
August 15, 2008
10:40 a.m.
Suggest removal
bradberz writes:
Hey,
I am bringing Kwame Kilpatrick from Detroit to Denver for the convention. He is the Obama's speacial guest speaker.
Can I get some tickets for me and his security forces...
He would love to be at Tent State with his entourage.
Let me know how we can get in secretly.
August 15, 2008
10:51 a.m.
Suggest removal
arvada_mark writes:
I am staying home. Read, pal, read. I'm not going, is the jist of what I said. But your money does spend as good as anybody's. Hillbilly? Really? What about AC/DC & Led Zepplin is hillbilly? I love when somebody is so lost in their thoughts they need to resort to name calling. I would say that is the ultimate sign of defeat. My 6 year old niece does that, too. It's really kind of cute when she does it, but taco, I'm assuming your at least partially grown, or at least more mature than a 6 year old, you can do better than that buddy. Dodge Ram, huh? What do you drive? Foreign no doubt. You sound like you'd be a great fit to live in Canada. Also, you think I could get $100 for a ticket? Nice! I wasn't going to, $50 for a few hours of work, not worth it, but now I'm for sure doing it. Thanks.
August 15, 2008
10:53 a.m.
Suggest removal
arvada_mark writes:
I know I didn't refer to Zep earlier, but I've listing to #2 this morning, so, well, you know...
August 15, 2008
10:55 a.m.
Suggest removal
arvada_mark writes:
I know I didn't refer to Zep earlier, but I've been listing to #2 this morning, so, well, you know...
August 15, 2008
11:11 a.m.
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mrtaco writes:
i wonder if your niece has a skill that you don't - the ability to spell? i wonder if she would also post two follow up comments (one to correct an omission of a word but not the misspellings) to clarify she omitted something in her previous posts. that would be pretty cute if she did. hop in your hummer and drive to the walmart... i think they may still sell dictionaries there.
also, the gist (with a g, pal), of your first post didn't convey that you weren't going.... maybe its you who's too lost in your thoughts.
August 15, 2008
2:23 p.m.
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mrtaco writes:
steel - sounds like you need a hug. wish i could help you out, lil buddy.
August 18, 2008
10:42 a.m.
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not2serious writes:
I first heard about this when I had a chance to read about it in the paper on Friday. In the printed edition, RMN gave out the address and info for how to go about trying to enter the lottery for a chance at tickets. Here online, there is no mention about how to do that. What do I have to do, register at Tent City?
August 22, 2008
2:07 a.m.
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baldwingrover writes:
I wish I could be there but IN SPIRIT we will be there. Speak, sing, or shout truth to power.
Love,
Naomi
August 23, 2008
12:55 p.m.
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mmc31 writes:
Sorry Arvada_Mark, the folks organizing the concert have anticipated your desire to interfere with other peoples enjoyment of the political process and good music just to stuff your pocket. Lottery winners must enter immediately upon showing ID and receiving their tickets. Now you don't have to waste your clearly valuable time making Denver a less enjoyable place to live for people who don't share your political and musical tastes.
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