rock the earth from the road

Straight from Bonnaroo, Rock the Earth Outreach teams worked the East Coast tour of the original Bad Company, who were supported by no less than the Doobie Brothers. The Clearwater Festival on the banks of the beautiful Hudson River followed. It was great to see old friends Taj Mahal, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, and Cornmeal, along with Susan Tedeschi, Arlo Guthrie and the one-and-only Pete Seeger, who is 90 years old and still rockin’! Rock the Earth once again had the pleasure of presenting at the High Sierra Music Festival in beautiful, Quincy, CA. It’s an incredible setting with great music from John Butler, Umphrey’s McGee, Disco Biscuits, Ani DiFranco and Del McCoury - just a few of the top-drawer musicians who played the festival.
What can be said about the ROTHBURY Music Festival? ROTHBURY is… a very unique experience! An awesome artist lineup was highlighted by The Dead in a very special Fourth of July festival appearance. An almost four-hour set culminated with a spectacular fireworks show. The night before, the String Cheese Incident showed everyone why they are so loved. Willie Nelson is always great and is a true American Treasure. Brett Dennen, Black Crowes, Grace Potter, Gov’t. Mule, Girl Talk, G.Love, Toubab Krewe, Sherwood Forest and a late-night set from Umphrey’s McGee were among the highlights. America’s poet laureate Bob Dylan closed the show. Continue Reading HERE »
Tuolumne River and Hetch Hetchy Hetch Hetchy Valley, in Yosemite National Park, is an area of remarkable natural beauty. One of only four glacially-carved valleys in California, it features granite bluffs, tall waterfalls and grand vistas. Since 1923, Tuolumne River has been impounded by O'Shaughnessy Dam, creating Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. This 1,900-acre lake in the middle of the National Park supplies San Francisco with over 85% of its drinking water, along with a modest amount of electrical power. The dam was built over the strenuous objections of legendary conservationist John Muir, and environmentalists have deplored its existence ever since. Continue Reading HERE »
For more information on this issue, visit the project page on our website.
Rock the Earth Mobile Phone Recycling Campaign In partnership with Musictoday, Collective Good and Gibson , Rock the Earth has been collecting mobile phones for recycling at music festivals across the country, and we thank all those who’ve participated in the campaign to keep mobile phones out of landfill. In this special promotion, all festival attendees who brought a phone to the Rock the Earth booth for redemption will receive 20% off future Musictoday purchases, and have been entered into a sweepstakes drawing for prizes like CDs, DVDs, T-shirts, magazine subscriptions, signed artist memorabilia, a pair of tickets to next year’s festival, a Gibson guitar, and much more. Each phone redeemed is worth one entry into our Grand Prize “Party like a Rock Star” sweepstakes drawing – the winner and 12 friends will enjoy the use of the Gibson Guitar Tour Bus!! The mobile phone recycling drive continues… Please recycle your phones with Rock the Earth at the following festivals and tours, and help us keep toxic chemicals out of local landfills: Floyd Fest (VA)
10,000 Lakes (MN)
Outside Lands (CA)
Allman Brothers Band / Widespread Panic US Tour If you wish to recycle your phone/s but are not planning to attend any of these upcoming music events, you may do so online at Rock the Earth mobile phone drive . More tours and participating venues to be announced soon…
New Advisory Board Member: Kelli Richards We are very happy to welcome new Advisory Board member Kelli Richards. Ms. Richards is Principal at her own advisory firm, The All Access Group, which specializes in providing strategic insights and fostering high level alliances to technology companies and established musicians alike. Her clients have included folks like Apple, Motorola, Sony, Philips, Virgin Mobile, Mozes, Riptopia, Todd Rundgren, and the band Triumph among many others. A visionary in the digital media space, Kelli has co-authored two books including: "The Art of Digital Music: 56 Artists, Visionaries & Insiders Reveal Their Creative Secrets” (2005), and "Creating Business Breakthroughs You Want: Secrets and Strategies of the World's Greatest Mentors" (2004) Kelli holds an MBA with an emphasis in marketing, and a BA in marketing/filmmaking from San Jose State University. She is also a Certified Life Coach through the Ford Institute for Integrative Coaching. She's a Board Member (SF Chapter) of NARAS (Grammys). Read more »
In the Key of Green: Unplug It Even when our appliances are technically turned off, they continue to suck energy out of the wall and money out of your wallet. “Phantom load” accounts for more than 27 million tons of CO2 emissions in the United States every year, as well mountains of resources wasted to produce the power. This standby power or idle current totals 5 to 15 percent of your monthly electricity bill. In fact, Americans spend almost $4 billion a year on electricity for things they’re not using. To eliminate phantom loads, you need to unplug your devices and appliances. Use a smart power strip with an on/off switch that can be turned off when not running anything, when you go to sleep and when you go away on vacation. More info: U.S. Department of Energy - http://www.energy.gov/energysavingtips.htm.
New Merchandise: Tad Carpenter Shirts Tad Carpenter is a Kansas City-based illustrator and designer who we met earlier this year at South By Southwest in Austin. With a portfolio that includes poster work for Wilco, The Shins, My Morning Jacket, Dashboard Confessional, and Neil Young, Tad has created two very cool designs for new Rock the Earth T-shirts, which have proven to be very popular this summer and are available exclusively to Rock the Earth members.
Bonnaroo Solar Stage Part Deux As reported last month , Rock the Earth created much of the programming for the Solar Stage in Planet Roo, the village that houses non-profit organizations and eco-friendly vendors at Bonnaroo music festival. The sessions, moderated by Rock the Earth Board President Marc Ross, all centered on the theme of "Social Change Through Music" and included panelists like Danny Louis (Gov’t. Mule), Al Schnier (moe.), Will Sheff (Okkervil River), Ben Sollee, Bob Ferguson (Oxfam), Andy Bernstein (Headcount), Paul Faeth (Global Water Challenge), Sally Palmer (The Nature Conservancy), and Justin Levy (Conscious Alliance), among others. We also conducted one-on-one interviews with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Brett Dennen and Patterson Hood (Drive by Truckers). To listen, go here »
What Rocks Your Earth? Kris Nowak of Cornmeal

Cornmeal & Rock the Earth Executive Director Shawn Kilmurray (L to R: Wavy Dave, Allie, Shawn, Chris, Kris & JP) As the son of a World War II refugee and post-war American immigrant, I was born and raised in the hard-working environment of Northwest Indiana. Each of these aspects of my upbringing has made deep impressions on me and my attitude towards the current state of our nation’s and our planet’s environmental issues. First, since my mother spent the first twenty years of her life living in refugee camps and adapting to a new society and culture; all material goods, especially food, were respected and cherished as gifts from the heavens. As such, while growing up I heard the phrase “waste not, want not” from my mother several hundred times, invariably followed by a story of her own struggles with hunger and poverty. Way before the practice became common, my mother instituted the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) in our household because she respected what we had, and she feared the day that might come when her children would be poor and hungry like she was as a child. What has inspired you to combine environmental activism with your art? Coincidentally, we lived in a hard-working area where many immigrants settled to find work. Steel mills, oil refineries and chemical plants were all around us, and it’s where virtually everyone in my family worked at some time or another. It also became apparent that these mills and plants were wreaking havoc on our entire community. Family, friends and neighbors were being diagnosed with odd diseases and rare forms of cancer, and the awful stench that blew into my backyard from the north was just something that you got used to when living there. Even now Lake County, Indiana is rated among the top ten worst counties in the United States in terms of air and water quality. For these reasons, environmental activism is a passion of mine. As a songwriter and performing artist, I believe it is my responsibility to use my voice to echo what vibrates in my soul. While environmental issues are only one of many that make up my identity, I feel it is my duty to speak up about the issues that have shaped me and my viewpoint. If by chance one person hears me speak or sing or listens to my song and is able to better themselves or their corner of the world even in the slightest, then I believe that my efforts are justified. What environmental issue(s) do you consider to be the most critical at this time? I believe that the most critical environmental issue we face today in the United States is actually more of a social issue. This issue is personal responsibility and empowerment. The individual American must understand that he or she is in charge of this nation. It is not the elected leaders or the economically powerful corporations who run this nation, but the voters and consumers. If the citizens of this nation realize this power, then we will be able to affect change and influence our leaders, both political and corporate, to lead responsibly. If individuals lead, the leaders will follow. Where is your favorite place in nature to go to find solace or inspiration? In light of this, my favorite places in nature I like to visit are the darkest and dirtiest parts of our large cities and urban areas. In those dark places I find solace and inspiration. It is easy to visit beautiful and pristine places, but the so-called “bad areas” of our nation are the most critical to an environmental revolution. These are the areas that need our help and attention the most. We cannot continue to just look the other way and pretend that these areas do not exist or that they are beyond hope. If the Hudson River in New York and the Great Lakes of the Midwest can be reclaimed and renovated, then so can so many other problematic areas of our world.

THE DISCO BISCUITS RELEASES OFFICIAL PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

THE DISCO BISCUITS RELEASES OFFICIAL PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE FOR CAMP BISCO VIII – JULY 16 – 18, 2009

Maniac All-Stars Announced as Camp Bisco VIII Remix Contest Winners

$75 Saturday Only Tickets Now Availabl

The Disco Biscuits have officially released the Camp Bisco VIII performance schedule, available online at www.campbisco.net The 50 performer lineup at the multi-stage camping festival includes: The Disco Biscuits - All 3 Nights; Nas & Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley; Asher Roth; STS9 (2 nights); Kid Cudi; Tractorbeam vs. The Perfume; DFA Disco Tent; Twisted Records All Star Tent; Chromeo; Bonobo Live; Dr. Dog; K'Naan; Younger Brother; Special Disco Version James Murphy & Pat Mahoney of LCD Soundsystem; Brothers Past; Pnuma Trio; Flying Lotus; Pretty Lights; Shpongle; EOTO; Holy Ghost; Orchard Lounge; John Brown's Body; Telepath; Boombox; Martyn, BioDiesel with KJ Sawka; AC Slater; Phantogram; MO2; DJ Haitian; Fort Knox Five; Dr. Fameus vs. DJ Drizno; Kill the Noise; Prometheus; Ott; Starkey; Bluetech; Indobox; BLVD; Two Fresh; Mixed Bag's Superjam; The Chavy Boys of London; Chronicles of the Landsquid; Roots of Creation; Joe Nice; Tuphace; Mike La Sage and the Stumbling Troubadours; Otherwise; Synewave; Beautiful Small Machines; The Maniac All Stars; and Dirty Paris.

New this year, Camp Bisco hosted a four-week multi-artist remix contest, powered by Sony Creative Software’s music remixing site ACIDplanet.com and promoted in partnership with Remix Magazine. For the first time, aspiring DJ/producers from around the country had the opportunity to remix top notch artists including the Disco Biscuits, The Orb, Dr. Dog, Telepath and John Brown's Body. Five first place winners and one grand prize winner, The Maniac All-Stars, were selected for the first annual Camp Bisco remix contest. The Maniac All-Stars were selected as the grand prize winner for their "Rebirth" remix of the song "Subterfuge" by live electronica band and Camp BIsco performer, Telepath. The production duo is made up of brothers Antonio "DJ Satisfaction" and Dennis Gonzalez from Philadelphia, PA. The All-Stars are relatively new to Acidplanet joining only this month, but have won several remix contests including VH1's The Score to create the theme song for the 2007 Hip-Hop Honors Show. The Maniac All-Stars win a unique performance opportunity to spin a primetime Friday afternoon set at Camp Bisco between Planet Mu recording artist Starkey and Chicago DJ collective the Orchard Lounge.

"We were thrilled with the tracks submitted through Acidplanet online remixing community and will look to make this an annual promotion," - Johnathan Fordin, President of MCP Presents

Camp Bisco VIII will once again be held at the picturesque Indian Lookout Country Club in Mariaville, New York. The venue will be set-up with two performance stages and a third late night dance tent. The Indian Lookout Country Club is located approximately 20 minutes travel time from Albany, New York, and sits on 200 acres of rolling, flat grass fields. The grounds come equipped with full bathrooms; which include flush toilets and showers, as well as 24/7 bathroom attendants. Festival goers will have access to a full bar on site and a general store, which sells almost every necessity for a comfortable and care free experience.

Camp Bisco VIII is now releasing a limited number of $75 Saturday-Only tickets, as well as the 3-Day tickets, available for $145 online at www.campbisco.net and 1-800-594-TXX, and at all FYE stores in New England and select outlets in New York state. VIP packages will be made available for an additional $250 per 3 day ticket purchase. Travel packages which include; a ticket to the event, 3 night hotel stay and unlimited shuttle service to and from Camp Bisco will be made available. 15 cents of every ticket sold will be donated to Trees For The Future, an organization that has been the steward of planting trees throughout the world since the early 1970s in an effort to remedy the effects of illegal logging and unsustainable land management systems on the world's developing communities. 50 cents of every ticket sold will be donated to Headcount Cents for Sense, a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization devoted to voter registration and participation in democracy. BE-Green ticket upgrades will also be sold for an additional $2.50. Funds raised by the BE-Green upgrades will be used to offset carbon emissions through the use of renewable energy sources.

THE ROOTS PRESENT THE JAM PRODUCED BY JILL NEWMAN PRODUCTIONS

after much back and forth we got press and photo pass's to this for a Jambase article, I will take some pictures as well with my non professional cameras (as that was our agreement) supposedly this event is kind of on lock down. and they are very tight with press in there. if you search the internet there are almost no reviews on it. Professional glossy photos by my photographer and a fancy grammatically correct review will be on Jambase. some of my own photos and thoughts will be up here.

Topaz Sullivan Hall: July 3

This show was pretty cool I finally met Joe Russo, and I got tips on working my new D60 from Dino Perucci. See his pictures to see how far I have to go in operating this beast of a machine. I love Southern Rock and fellow Florida boy the Legendary JC's were in the House as the opening act. These guys have so much soul its ridiculous. Thanks Robyn for going with me you are an awesome person to hang out with and hope to see more of you. Topaz was a picture of rock perfection and I always love hearing people say things like "I like jambands" when their leaving Sullivan hall. It's surreal to me cause to me it's all rock. I also saw the vagabond Dead Head (See "Hey Man You Like Jambands?") he was selling cid and I guess has not got on the road yet. Kind of trippy, it was only three days before that odd encounter.