Sunday, September 21, 2008

NEIL YOUNG: FARM AID WRAP UP, BRIDGE CONCERT LINEUP

Yesterday was Farm Aid 2008. I went last year when it hit New York, and the year before in Camden, New Jersey. This year is was in Boston, but I didn't have to bucks to make the trip. Plus, I saw John Mellencamp earlier this summer, and I'm going to see Neil Young and his current band later this year. Of course, Willie Nelson played (his Farm Aid sets are usually a bit messy), as did Dave Matthews (as a duo with Tim Reynolds, as they did last year). Also on the bill was The Pretenders (who have a cool album out that I'll be writing about soon), Jerry Lee Lewis, Kenny Chesney (as the token mainstream country act on the bill), Jakob Dylan and the great patriot Steve Earle. Farm Aid is a great event, you should catch it if you can.

Neil has also announced the lineup for this year's Bridge School Benefit concert. Neil of course is headlining, Pegi Young is also on the bill, as well as Norah Jones, Jack Johnson, Wilco, Death Cab For Cutie, Cat Power and opera singer Josh Grobman. For real. One night, ZZ Top will be playing, the other night it will be "The Smashing Pumpkins." I always say that I'm going to go to The Bridge School Benefit concert, but this is not one of the more exciting lineups (although I'd like to see ZZ Top "unplugged"). It is, of course, a great cause to support regardless of who is playing in any given year.

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