Public Enemy to play free concert during DNC

By Judi Villa, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 19, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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The iconic hip-hop group Public Enemy will play a free concert at Civic Center next week as part of a litany of protests planned during the Democratic National Convention.

The band's performance was announced Monday, along with three speakers who will bolster the efforts of the activist group Re-create 68.

Public Enemy, known for its politically charged lyrics, will perform at 2 p.m. on Aug. 26.

"Public Enemy, out of any band, really speaks for the oppressed communities," said Glenn Spagnuolo, co-founder of Re-create 68.

Spagnuolo said the band's politics mirror his group's "vision of a different world that is outside the Democrats and Republicans."

"There's another way of doing things and that includes doing things with a social conscience," he said.

Jill McGranahan, spokeswoman for Denver Parks and Recreation, said music was part of the assembly permits obtained by Re-create 68.

"The park is designed to hold large numbers of people," McGranahan said. "We're confident the park can handle it, and it's part of the assembly process."

Re-create 68 also announced Monday that anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan will speak at the group's "End the Occupations!" rally Sunday.

"She's lost a son in the war, and she's been outspoken about ending the war now," said Re-create 68 member Mark Sandefer. "We feel the same way."

Carlo Garcia, whose Mad Society Project production company negotiated Public Enemy's concert, said the concert should appeal to the younger generation.

"Right now we see the DNC as an opportunity to hopefully spark the flames, to get the rest of us in our generation more involved," Garcia said.

Led by rapper Chuck D, Public Enemy is a pioneer of political hip-hop with groundbreaking albums such as 1988's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and 1990's Fear of a Black Planet. Chuck D continues to comment on issues both in song and in the media, including a radio show on Air America Radio. His sidekick, rapper Flavor Flav, has struggled with an addiction to crack cocaine and has starred in the reality TV show Flavor of Love.

Staff writer Mark Brown contributed to this report.

If you go

* When: 2 p.m. Aug. 26

* Where: Civic Center

* Admission: Free

More events

* What: Convention Watch Party to see Sen. Barack Obama accept the Democratic presidental nomination.

* When: 5-10 p.m. Aug. 25

* Where: Multiple large outdoor screens set up at 26th and Welton streets

* Cost: $5; admission restricted to people 21 years and older.

* Hosted by: Five Points Jazz and Blues Festival

• August 19, 2008

  6:46 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Hambone writes:

  Public Enemy may speak for the oppressed communities, but I'm pretty sure that Glenn "Highlands Ranch" Spagnuolo does not.

• August 19, 2008

  7:09 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  LingLingfor_prez writes:

  Has to be a free concert. Hippies don't have money.

• August 19, 2008

  8:02 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  sheepherder writes:

  If Spagnuolo doesnt like either party, why don't they develop a viable canadate instead of coming to Denver and acting like fools?

• August 19, 2008

  8:31 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Mayor_Quimby writes:

  Its an aptly named group for the dems.

• August 19, 2008

  5:34 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  mytwosense writes:

  Man I used to love that group! That was way back in the day before rap music jumped the shark...

• August 19, 2008

  5:47 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  GetReal writes:

  Was Public Enemy the band Al Gore's wife Tipper went after or was that 2 live crew?

• August 20, 2008

  9:22 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  mytwosense writes:

  GetReal, I think it was 2LiveCrew.

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