April 10, 2007
No Live Earth Concert for D.C.
We mentioned before that some Republicans in Congress were trying to prevent the free Live Earth concert from happening on the Mall. Turns out they were successful: it's going to be at Giants Stadium in New York New Jersey instead. With a reunion of The Police. Thanks guys. We don't need a vote in Congress or a free concert. You're really looking out for us.
Republicans James Inhofe and Mitch McConnell led the charge against the event, which was to be held on the Mall and organized to put forth such partisan rhetoric as "the environment is good" and "global warming is bad." We even called our Congressman and our Delegate to try to keep the show in D.C., but to no avail. And the fact that there was a Nats game at RFK the same day probably didn't help.
The line-up for New York has reunions of both The Police and the Smashing Pumpkins, as well as John Mayer, Bon Jovi, Kelly Clarkson, Dave Matthews, and others. It's not quite good as London, but hey, it's free. And The Police!
In an ironic twist, tickets are available on April 16th - D.C. Emancipation Day and the day of the D.C. Voting Rights March.
Photo by Flickr user mindgutter
|
giants stadium is in New Jersey.
FYI, the Police, Smashing Pumpkins, and the Beastie Boys will be at Pimlico for the second V-Fest. Granted its not on the mall, nor is it free, but the V-Fest was awesome last year and it looks to be the same this year as well.
mcconnell is a douche. inhofe is big, stupid, evil incarnate. man oh man, what an embarrassment. it'll be a glorious day when that man leaves the senate.
pffft. Thanks, Inhofe. Lucky for him there are still some quack scientists that can provide some oblivious "proof" that global warming does not exist. It would have been a transcendent event for certain to have the concert on hallowed ground like the National Mall. Look at where South Africa is holding their Live Earth concert: Someplace called the 'Cradle of Man'. Our important place? A big concrete bowl along I-95 in New Jersey that allegedly contains Jimmy Hoffa's body. I was hoping to have a great show for D.C., like what Live 8 in 2005 was like in Philly--with the stage on the steps of the Museum of Art (yes, the steps from Rocky).
I heard that the Republicans in Congress are also trying to kill Santa and the Easter Bunny for their pagan connection...
I know DCist never misses an opportunity to dump on Republicans, but at least get your facts straight when you're doing so. First, the concert cannot be held on the Mall because the Mall is already reserved for that date by the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.
So because the Mall was out, Al Gore asked Congress to approve the use of the Capitol grounds for the concert (yes, this is different from the Mall). But not wanting to set a precedent allowing the West Front of the Capitol to become a standard backup venue for groups who miss out on holding their events on the Mall, the Senate refused his request (this is not entirely unreasonable . . . can you imagine 70,000 concert-goers squeezing in between the Capitol and 3rd Street, without falling into the Reflecting Pool? Me neither).
If the Nats hadn't been in town that day the concert could have been moved to RFK, but they are, so it can't. So it all comes down to the lack of an available venue, not an evil Republican plot to deny the hipsters their free DMB. But don't let the facts get in the way of your bitching.
Motto of DC residents/"voters": Expect nothing, get less.
redstater:
Easy solution: Setup a battle royale between the hipsters and the folkstos, winner takes the Mall. Someone loses, everyone wins.
>as well as John Mayer...Dave Matthews
I think I need to write Senators Inhofe and McConnell personal thank-you notes for sparing DC from this douchebaggery.
Redstater - you have a fair point about the Capitol Grounds versus the Mall, though the West Lawn is pretty close to the Mall. But as I noted in the previous post about this (linked in the first sentence of this post), some Republican congressmen objected to the concert on the basis that it was a partisan event. The BBC article I linked to quoted Inhofe's spokesman as saying "Senator Inhofe objects to having any events on the Capitol grounds that are either highly partisan or politically controversial - and the proposed Gore concert is both."
That was my main complaint, that it's not a "Gore concert" or a partisan event - it's not "We Hate Republicans Fest 2007," it's just a good, free concert with some environmental themes. But seemingly because of Al Gore's affiliation with it, we won't be having a free concert with lots of different kinds of music. That made me, and other commenters, pretty mad.
Hipsters don't listen to DMB.
The Senate didn't refuse anything. It was mainly a couple of Republicans, led by Inhofe. It never got to the floor for a vote. Rather than wait to see if the Senate would take action (they were in recess last week), I think Gore decided to look elsewhere while he still had time to book a site.
And I'd like to think it's not a partisan issue, at least not anymore. A majority of the Senate is on record in support of mandatory greenhouse gas reductions. This includes several Republicans (and a few Democrats in opposition). Of course, last week's Supreme Court ruling pretty much makes it a moot point. The regulations they are a comin'.
Imhofe is an ASS who claims that global warming is "the greatest hoax perpetuated upon the American public." Rethuglican Moron.
Bah, the event should've been in Philly. All live whatevers should be in Philadelphia, but in this case, especially after DC was not possible.
Based on the the comments of would-be concert-goers ("douche," "big, stupid, evil incarnate," "trying to kill Santa and the Easter Bunny," "ASS" "Rethuglican Moron"), it doesn't appear to be outside the rhelm of possibility that the concert would have, in fact, degenerated into "We Hate Republicans Fest 2007." Not that there's anything wrong with that (free speech and all), but lets say the Petroleum Institute wanted to use the Capitol grounds for an Oil Fest (not a partisan issue, since we all use at least a little bit of oil everyday). Would DCist be just as indignant when a Dem senator blocked it?
The main point is that Earth Fest should have got their ducks in a row sooner and applied for a Mall permit before the Smithsonian did. The Capitol's West Law may be "pretty close to the Mall," but "pretty close" only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, so you're still looking at different jurisdictions with different rules.
Maybe Gore can send in a Mall application to the Park Service now for next year's Earth Fest, assuming the polar ice caps haven't melted by then.
redstater,
have you ever been to a folklife festival? it takes up the space between 7th and 14th. That leaves the space between 3rd and 7th for a concert. That's plenty of space. It's not that the Mall can't handle the concert. Maybe Smithsonian doesn't want it, but it could certainly handle it.
The west front probably could handle it as well, since they have concerts there on the 4th of july, but I kind of understand not wanting a "partisan event" there. I just find it ridiculous that protecting the environment is now a partisan issue. Jesus would be soooooo pissed.
As a native New Jerseyian, I can say that Giants Stadium is close enough to freaking New York that I could care less what state it's attributed to. Everyone knows the REAL Jersey starts below Exit 6.
As a native New Jerseyian, I can say that Giants Stadium is close enough to freaking New York that I could care less what state it's attributed to. Everyone knows the REAL Jersey starts below Exit 6.
I love the idea of a concert. But how much energy will we use to fly and drive celebs, roadies, fans, and equipment around. Can't you see the criticism already?
Also does anyone remember how much ACTUAL good the concert for Africa did a coupla years back..anyone..anyone...?
Now that is bullshit. NJ doesn't start until around Exit 8 and above.
As a native New Jerseyian, I can say that Giants Stadium is close enough to freaking New York that I could care less what state it's attributed to. Everyone knows the REAL Jersey starts below Exit 6.
Hey now!! I'm a Jersey boy too (born in New Brunswick and went to Rutgers) and that's just crazy talk. There are many wonderful things about South Jersey (below Exit 6), but it is most assuredly not the REAL Jersey.
How many carbon units/credits will Gore buy from his own company to cover the cost of this event? Or will they power all the lights, amps, giant TV screens with generators running on the good intentions of those watching?
The smugness of DCist's posts and some of the comments are just unbearable. Also the quickness to blame Republicans for any stupid thing.
Booo!!! Big bad Republicans did it.
What's unbearable is bullshit like "will they power all the lights, amps, giant TV screens with generators running on the good intentions of those watching?"
It's always nice to come to a website where group think and a big brother attitude is warmly embraced.
1. Republicans ARE bad. Or at least co-opted into the PNAC boilerplate.
2. This is going to be a field day for FOX pundits who will criticize the hypocrisy of all of that energy usage. errr..NASCAR anyone?
Chris, grab your dictionary and look up "hypocrisy," then look up "idiot."
I see why Abby Lavin doesn't write for DCist much anymore - what would the angry undergrads ("my marxist cultural studies prof says republicans are evil so they must be! yeah!") do when they found out she works for *gasp* The Weekly Standard!!!
DEMMMM..I don't understand your point. Republicans ARE co-opted by PNAC boilerplate. Alot of them are de-camping because of it.
1. US military dominance in major theaters.
2. Congressional appropriations larger than WWII and Cold War
3. Expansion of Executive power and hostility toward UN consensus
Idio--err Chris, I was not responding to your assertion that Republicans were bad or co-opted.
I was showing that there is nothing hypocritical about NASCAR; boring and trashy, yes, but hypocritical, no. If you don't *BELIEVE* in global warming, emitting co2 is not hypocritical. Just like if you're not a vegetarian, there's nothing hypocritical about running a meat-packing plant. It's when you claim to believe in a thing and try to convince everyone else to as well, but take actions clearly contrary to it for your own benefit, that you are being hypocritical. From dictionary.com:
hypocritical: a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, esp. one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.
(e.g., saying "you all need to conserve energy" while running ridiculously high energy usage at your 5 homes)
I really hope the double post from "Jason" is just trolling, but the sad fact is that I think he meant it. People who spew bigoted, classist, stereotyping bullshit like that forfeit all rights to be taken seriously when they criticize others for their supposed intolerance.
beenthere, the Folklife Festival is not the only event that was already booked on the Mall for that date. The space between 3rd and 7th will be taken up, as it is most years at that time, by some kind of big Evangelical gathering.
Also, I wonder if everyone realizes that if this "free" concert had been held on the West Lawn, attendance would have been limited to about 70,000 people which would have meant controlled entry, ticket distribution messes, etc. It wouldn't have been an "everyone gets in who wants to see the show" event, and a lot of people without connections or the time to stand in long lines for ticket handouts would have ended up frustrated.
Isn't it hipPIES that listen to DMB, not hipSTERS?
Refreshing to see a S.Jersey/N.Jersey battle on DCist instead of the usual VA/DC/MD one....
DEMM....Now see why you gotta be like that bro'? Did I call YOU an idiot? Second of all I STILL don't get your point. It will be pointed out as hypocritical to have a concert that promotes energy conservation and USES alot of energy. It's not necessarily IDIOTIC because it will be a kick-A** concert and everyone will enjoy it while it lasts. I was fairly nice to you but don't push me a**hole.
Chris L. - FWIW, New Brunswick/Rutgers is Central Jersey. The PIES vs STERS observations was pretty funny though.
Central Jersey may actually have exclusive domain (except for the shore) over being REAL in the sense that it's neither an extended suburb of NY or Philly. I'll admit that for awhile, I just told people I was from Philly, since I was over there all the time, but mostly it was to avoid confusion over the assumption being that I was bridge and tunnel and living in Jersey City.
Anyone who lives outside of New Jersey the whole REAL New Jersey argument doesn't matter. Why? Because everytime I show my Jersey pride someone brings up bad "Joisey" accents, turnpike, and Jimmy Hoffa. Whatever exit you live in Jersey is Jersey. Like D.C. we don't get any respect.
I was raised in Essex County where a lot of the shots from the openning of the Sopranos title sequences are from. Now that's my New Jersey.
Check this US Carbon Footprint Map out, has United States Interactive Carbon Footprint Map, illustrating Greenest States. This site has all sorts of stats on individual State energy consumptions, demographics and State energy offices.
http://www.eredux.com/states/