Subj : Rock News
To   : All
From : Piper Christian Vierik
Date : Thu May 29 2003 06:55 pm

HOMELAND SECURITY BEGINS AT HOME

Thousands of New York City firefighters will gather for a
"Concert to Save Firehouses" Monday, just three days before
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. George Pataki push through
their plan to cut back on the front line of Homeland
Security forces by shutting down eight city firehouses in
Harlem, Brooklyn and Queens. Planners expect 10,000 people
to attend. The concert and rally will star Grammy Award win-
ner Sammy Hagar and his Waboritas and will take place from
noon to 1:30 p.m. at Battery Park in downtown Manhattan.
Bloomberg has threatened to close eight New York City fire-
houses by May 23 to save $11 million dollars out of the $44
billion city budget. The free concert and rally is part of
the continuing effort by the Uniformed Firefighters
Association to educate New Yorkers about the public safety
danger if the cuts are not stopped. Sammy Hagar is the
former lead singer of Van Halen. 

COLDPLAY KICKS OFF SOLD OUT TOUR 

Coldplay will kick off the second leg of its 2003 North
American tour Tuesday in Edmonton, Alberta. The sold-out
run of major arenas and amphitheaters will include two
headline shows each at the Hollywood Bowl, May 31 and
June 2, and Red Rocks Amphitheatre on June 5-6. The tour
will end June 13 with a performance at Madison Square
Garden. On this 17-date tour, Coldplay will play in front
of more than 200,000 fans. On Saturday, May 31, at 6 p.m.
ET, radio listeners across America will be treated to a
special Westwood One broadcast of "Coldplay: Live From
the Hollywood Bowl." The two-hour special will air on
more than 150 stations nationwide, including WXRK-FM in
New York and KROQ in Los Angeles. Check local listings
for station information. Coldplay's "A Rush of Blood to
the Head" has sold more than 1.5 million units in America
and won a pair of Grammys, for Best Alternative Music
Album and Best Rock Performance by Duo or Group with Vo-
cal. Coldplay's debut album, "Parachutes," also won the
former award last year, making Coldplay the only band to
have won the Best Alternative Music Album award in two
consecutive years.

                    THE GREAT BAMBOOZLE

This summer's festival-jammed schedule adds another inter-
esting twist with The Big Bamboozle, featuring The Roots,
Medeski Martin and Wood, Keller Williams, Dark Star
Orchestra and the David Grisman Quintet in a three-day
bash that will kick off the New Jersey shore summer season
May 30-June 1. The festival will take place on the grounds
of New Jersey's most famous music venue, the Stone Pony,
known as headquarters for Bruce Springsteen, who often
plays impromptu jams at the club. Other national acts on
the bill include Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, DJ Logic,
Topaz, Antigone Rising, Seth Yacovone Band, Mike Farris
of the Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies and, leading a Drum
Circle, Jim Donovan of Rusted Root. Balancing out the
national list is a considerable local talent roster:
Juggling Suns, J. Pat, Unexplained Bacon, New Blood
Revival, Borialis, Bamm Hollow, Sunny Daze, Under New
Ownership, Mike Brody, the Remedy, Secret Sound, Bugg,
Moroccan Sheep Herders, Jaski and One-Eyed Jack. "The
jambands brought out our first loyal fan base after I
purchased the club and we reopened at the beginning of
the 2000 summer season," says Stone Pony owner Domenic
Santana. "That first year was really tough, but their
fans were fearless in trekking where no man would go,
and they helped establish a regular scene here. And
when we needed support during our Save the Pony campaign,
those were the fans who came out and marched for us. It's
no coincidence that we named our street team the Hippie
Army. They have been fiercely loyal."


QUETZAL CELEBRATES 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Quetzal, the groundbreaking band stemming from the barrios
of Los Angeles, has a new album, "Worksongs," set for world-
wide release on Vanguard Records July 8. The release also
marks the band's 10-year anniversary of creating real heart-
felt Latin folk and roots-rock music. "Worksongs," an 11-
track collection of powerful songs collaborated on by the
six band members, follows their critically acclaimed album
"Sing The Real." Quetzal takes a grassroots approach to fus-
ing the folk styles of Mexico and Cuba in son and bolero
along with elements of rock and blues. The album was pro-
duced by longtime Los Lobos saxophonist Steve Berlin, whose
playing and production credits include Bonnie Raitt, John
Lee Hooker, Sheryl Crow, Faith No More and Paul Simon. "It's
profound, there's not enough articulation about what's going
on in East L.A.," Berlin said. "'Worksongs' is not just a
record; they are the voice of the culture. We've (Los Lobos)
carried the torch long enough, and I think Quetzal is the
next to step up and speak for the community."


Piper Christian
KC8TEZ

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