Vote For Change Tour

In an attempt to get out the vote in swing states, a loose coalition of artists have united with the MoveOn PAC and America Coming Together (ACT) organizations to put together the Vote for Change tour, which kicks off Oct. 1. A diverse lineup of performers—including Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., John Fogerty, Pearl Jam, Jurassic 5, Dave Matthews, Bright Eyes and Death Cab for Cutie—will perform in multiple cities on each of the tour’s six nights.

For example, while Pearl Jam and Death Cab for Cutie hit the stage in Reading, Penn., on the tour’s opening night, Springsteen, R.E.M., Fogerty and Bright Eyes appear in Philadelphia the same night. Different lineups will hit six different cities each night in battleground states including, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Florida. (Other battleground states that will be skipped by the tour include New Hampshire, Arkansas, Virginia and Maine.)

“This is the one election [people] should not and cannot sit out,” said MoveOn PAC executive director Eli Pariser in a conference call on Wed. Aug. 4. “People who’ve never voted before are going to be the ones who decide who wins and loses this election.” Pariser said the idea for the tour came when he noticed Springsteen’s manager, Jon Landau, was a member of the MoveOn organization.

Also taking part in the tour are the Dixie Chicks, who stirred up controversy in 2003 with their criticism of President Bush, and longtime activists Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt. Of the artists issuing statements on the tour, only Dave Matthews mentioned any candidate by name. “A vote for change is a vote for a stronger, safer, healthier America,” he said. “A vote for Bush is a vote for a divided, unstable, paranoid America.”

While Springsteen’s long been outspoken on issues ranging from the homeless to the current administration’s handling of the Iraq war, this is the most explicitly political move of his career. He stops short of specifically endorsing John Kerry, but the anti-Bush statements he made on his last tour make it relatively clear which side he’s on. "I felt like I couldn't have written the music I've written, and been onstage singing about the things that I've sung about for the last twenty-five years and not take part in this particular election," Springsteen said in a statement.

The artists and their managers organized the tour, according to ACT president Ellen Malcolm. “We hope the artists’ voices join with a chorus of voices around the country calling for change,” Malcolm said. “For many of the artists, it’s the first time they’ve participated actively in the electoral process on this level.” The MoveOn Pac (www.moveon.org) is promoting the tour, and all proceeds from the tour will support ACT’s efforts to increase voter participation in swing states.

While the cities and dates are set, venues have not been announced. Tickets will go on sale through Ticketmaster in mid-August.

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