I have been a long time fan of Dave Matthews...and his concerts are a blast. I was sad that I was not able to make his central Florida concerts this year...when all of the sudden I saw in my school paper that he would be performing in my city...about 5 minutes from where I live. Tickets are 50 bucks (not bad for the show he will put on). Sadly I read further, and he is using it as a pro kerry thing...he will bitch about bush AND will be giving the money from the concert to support pro kerry campaign stuff.
If it was free I would have gone anyway, even if I had to listen to ant bush stuff mixed into the concert, if it was cheap I would have to make a tough decision...is it worth listening to Dave, if I am giving money to Kerry. This way I really can't go...I can't bring myself to give 50 bucks to a concert that will support kerry. Grrr...I really wish musicians would stick to playing music.
Posted by Tammy (Member # 4119) on :
Dave Matthews is one of my all time favorites.
I hate when musicians do anything but sing and play beautiful music for my enjoyment.
BUT...big butt here, what a perfect forum they have. You really can't blame them for taking advantage of it. If you believe in something, something that you think others should hear about, you use every available opportunity to spread the word.
Again...I only like them doing what they should be doing, entertaining me!
Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
Question...how will it be a pro-Kerry thing? Is Matthews actually going to talk about political issues at his concert, or is he just going to use the money to support Kerry and maybe put up some signs?
If it's the latter, I would suggest you go. I mean, Matthews is going to use the money he gets from his concerts and albums however he wants too anyway, right?
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
Art has never been politically neutral.
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
from the article in our school paper, it sounded like it was going to be a mix btwn being a rally and being a concert...so I'd have to listen to him preach about how evil Bush is.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
Only option is to trash your DaveMathew's albums and quit listening to him. Heck, have a protest bonfire with like-minded folk. Otherwise, you're just gonna get the reputation of listening to people not worth payin' attention to.
[ August 23, 2004, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: aspectre ]
Posted by Da_Goat (Member # 5529) on :
I have mixed feelings about it.
I, personally, am not a fan of anybody talking about politics (see, this just shows how much I like all of your personalities ).
However, I feel musicians have the right to talk about what they believe in on stage. I was one of those that was completely pissed when Sinead O'Connor (sp?) was booed off stage because she ripped a picture of the Pope, or at the recent bad publicity that the Dixie Chicks have gotten for their political commentary. I mean, I may not have agreed with what either of them said (or implied), but if I had a chance to state my beliefs on live television, I sure as heck would. Besides, there are plenty of other reasons to not listen to Sinead O'Connor and Dixie Chicks besides their political convictions.
Besides, at least Dave Matthews was tactful enough to let everybody know beforehand what the show would be about and where the money is going. I mean, would you rather the money be spent on drugs and whores like so many other musicians use it for?
[ August 24, 2004, 01:21 AM: Message edited by: Da_Goat ]
Posted by Vána (Member # 6593) on :
What Annie said.
Taking Dave as an example, since it's his concert we're talking about, much of his music is political, even without him also talking while he's on stage and being more specific.
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Eh.
Which is more important to you - the music or his political stance?
I don't order Domino's pizza because they give money to anti-abortion groups.
In this instance, their pizza is less important to me than their particular stance on this issue.
-Trevor
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Really? I wonder what Pizza Hut's stance on abortion is? I may have to start shopping around. Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
If it's an important issue to you, then I encourage you to explore it.
Most companies would not donate money to either side for fear of alienating a consumer base.
That said, I can applaud Domino's for standing behind a cause that somone in the chain of command supports and believes in.
However, since I don't share that belief and in fact oppose it, the least I can do is put my money where my mouth is.
And I never really liked their pizza all that much - Papa John's and then Pizza Hut in that order.
-Trevor
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
I'm serious, Domino's is looking better and better. Pizza Hut uses a grease gun....
...seriously.
Posted by Da_Goat (Member # 5529) on :
You know, TMedina, they also give money to me...
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
That's why I like it.
Well, with just a few meat toppings - pepperoni only and only two or three slices. The crispy crust is a guilty treat.
However, the last time I tried a slice of "meat lovers", I was doubled over in pain. You could have oiled a couple of cars and had grease to spare.
-Trevor
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
I am sorry, Sir Goat, that you fall victim to a political and social crossfire of competing philosophies.
Although, unless you live in or near Dunwoody, Georgia, my refusal to spend money at Domino's probably isn't going to have any direct impact on you or your paycheck.
-Trevor
Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :
Actually, AFAIK, the CEO of Dominos donates from his salary to anti abortion groups, the actual company doesn't.
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Hardly an unbiased source and I haven't confirmed the references, but:
I've refused to buy software from a company named John Galt Solutions, on principle alone. Posted by Vána (Member # 6593) on :
Tom, if I ever ran across that company, I would do the same. Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
That concert is part of a series of concerts across Florida. Bruce Springsteen is performing somewhere around Orlando. REM is also doing a show, as well as other big names and a lot of lesser groups.
Posted by Avatar300 (Member # 5108) on :
quote:However, I feel musicians have the right to talk about what they believe in on stage. I was one of those that was completely pissed when Sinead O'Connor (sp?) was booed off stage because she ripped a picture of the Pope, or at the recent bad publicity that the Dixie Chicks have gotten for their political commentary. I mean, I may not have agreed with what either of them said (or implied), but if I had a chance to state my beliefs on live television, I sure as heck would.
It is true that they have the right to voice their opinions on stage. But, it is also true that the listening public has the right to voice their opinions right back.
You have to realize that when you voice an opinion there will always be people who do not agree with you. In this case, when the musicians job depends on their image they have to expect that some people will stop listening or refuse to buy their product.
Posted by Da_Goat (Member # 5529) on :
quote:You have to realize that when you voice an opinion there will always be people who do not agree with you. In this case, when the musicians job depends on their image they have to expect that some people will stop listening or refuse to buy their product.
Of course not everybody will agree with one another. If we did, there wouldn't be any reason to voice our opinions in the first place.
I know musicians should expect that some people will stop listening to their music for their political ideas. My annoyance is with the people that do stop listening. I mean, in most cases, the artist is hardly singing about politics (and, even if they do, it's hardly the majority of their songs). To me, refusing to listen to somebody because of their political ideas is comparable with refusing to listen to somebody because of their religion, race, social class, sexual preference, etc.
It's the public that keeps the music business alive. If you worked at a grocery store, would you refuse to sell food to somebody because they voted for the other guy?
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
I kind of agree with Lupus and kind of agree with Da_Goat. Sucks they're forcing you to support they're candidate, but at least they're up front about it.
Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
Like Storm Saxon said, at least you were warned where your money was going and that there was going to be political talk at the concert. It doesn't always happen that way.
I don't know. I just think that anyone who makes up their mind on something as important as who to vote for for president based on something a celebrity says (Dem or Repub) needs to, oh, grow a brain and start thinking for him or herself.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Tom, it seems to me that the people at John Galt Solutions would applaud you for being able to make that kind of choice...I think. Posted by Avatar300 (Member # 5108) on :
quote:It's the public that keeps the music business alive. If you worked at a grocery store, would you refuse to sell food to somebody because they voted for the other guy?
No. But I might not buy food from a grocery store in which some of the profits go to a political party or organization that I don't agree with.
Posted by Khal Drogo (Member # 6786) on :
I think a lot of bands today should just shut up and play. They can't all be John Lennon, realize it, accept it, get over it.
Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :
John Lennon was also vilified for his political expressions, back in the day. Very fiercely so, in fact.
Protest back then was considered more of an outrage against society and less a normal part of the political landscape. Conformity was valued much more highly then, too. I think it had something to do with World War II. Conformity is always more important to a society which feels itself to be under imminent threat at its very foundations.
The President of the United States, Richard Nixon, kept an official (though secret) white house enemies list, on which were listed people like Joe Namath and Burt Reynolds, for instance. Now Nixon definitely took paranoia in government to new heights, but can you imagine any such thing happening now?
[ August 24, 2004, 03:44 PM: Message edited by: ak ]
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
You mean like placing USSenator EdwardKennedy on the terrorist"do not fly"list?
Posted by Turgan (Member # 6697) on :
Dave Matthews is okay... I like Dashboard Confessional and December Drive myself...
Posted by Khal Drogo (Member # 6786) on :
Well that was just funny.
Posted by Turgan (Member # 6697) on :
I'm just out of the loop like that, i guess.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Trevor, you're going to be the example in an object lesson, but know it's not personal. You've just done something that's annoyed me for years, although I'm sure inadvertently.
If someone chooses to boycott for political reasons (which I fully support) and to ever speak of it, I've always been of the opinion that they have a moral duty to stay on top of the issue and make sure their facts are straight, since a lot of people's livlihood is at risk.
quote:Whatever one might think of Tom Monaghan's selection of social causes, and no matter how one views the question of direct versus indirect underwriting of them via pizza monies, it's all moot now. These days none of the revenues that flow into Domino's reach this controversial man, so no portion of what a customer pays for a medium pepperoni-and-cheese funds the causes he supports. Monaghan sold his Domino's Pizza empire to Bain Capital Inc. for $1 billion in 1998. He now runs the Ave Maria Foundation, which supports Ave Maria College, a separate law school and a system of elementary schools. (emphasis added)
I've taken many people who I'd consider allies in political and moral advocacy to task for doing the same thing in reverse. I still hear people talking about the P&G boycott because they're "satanists."
The upshot? Boycotts are perfectly valid; people can spend their money however they want. However, once you start publicly tying that choice to the target's actions, you must be right about those actions. And you have a responsibility to stay up to date about them.
Dagonee P.S., I saw Dave when he played at Trax in Charlottesville for a $5 cover, which included wings.
[ August 24, 2004, 04:22 PM: Message edited by: Dagonee ]
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
quote:To me, refusing to listen to somebody because of their political ideas is comparable with refusing to listen to somebody because of their religion, race, social class, sexual preference, etc.
How ironic, considering your support of Sinead's villification of a man based on his religion.
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