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Political Superconcert Touted
By DAN KAPLAN
STAFF WRITER
NEW YORK -- It would be Bush vs. The Boss.
A former city concert hall owner and Democratic activist wants Bruce Springsteen to lead a show of all shows at Giants Stadium while President Bush is receiving the nomination for re-election at the Republican National Convention in Manhattan.
And although it appears unlikely Springsteen would perform, the promoter is asking for help from anyone with access to the Internet.
Andrew Rasiej, 46, the former owner of Irving Plaza in downtown Manhattan, said he has reserved Giants Stadium for the night of Sept. 1, and he hopes Monmouth County native Springsteen headlines the planned concert.
Rasiej, born in Bergen County, has set up Draftbruce.com, which asks Web users to sign a petition urging the Boss to "lead the music industry in coming together and perform in a concert for change."
"Once it is known that you are involved, many other artists will want to perform with you," Rasiej wrote in a letter to Springsteen on the site's home page. "Together your collective voices and music will send a clear message to all Americans that our country needs their vote to create change."
As of yesterday about 100,000 people have signed the petition, Rasiej said, and about 2,000 supporters were registering every hour.
Rasiej estimates his chances of pulling off the show are "50-50."
Shore Fire Media, the publicist for Springsteen, said yesterday in an e-mail the rock star "definitely will not perform any concerts tied to either the Republican or Democratic conventions."
Springsteen has voiced opposition to the war in Iraq while on tour. At a concert last October at Shea Stadium in Queens, he asked the crowd to sing "a little louder if you wanna impeach the president."
And on his personal Web site, Brucespringsteen.net, he published a May 26 speech by former Vice President Al Gore that harshly criticizes the Bush administration.
Rasiej said yesterday he has contacted other well-known musical performers, including Bon Jovi, REM and Sheryl Crow, to see if they would want to join Springsteen on stage for the event.
Those artists have expressed preliminary interest, Rasiej said, "to the effect that if you build it, we will be there."
Other musicians Rasiej has considered for the show are Bob Dylan, U2, The Dixie Chicks and The Dave Matthews Band.
But getting The Boss to sign on is the primary goal, and Rasiej said he hopes the growing petition will change his mind.
"In order for this to happen, the concert needs a leader," Rasiej said, "a singular artist who already has a great deal of respect in the artistic community and the moral authority who is able to do this."
For the show to counter and even upstage the Republican convention, an audience in the millions is necessary.
"Selling out Giants Stadium alone is not that exciting," Rasiej said. "The only way it would have any potential value is if 10 or 20 other artists came together and performed in a concert of historic relevance . . . and if it was available on television."
"It would generate a television audience that would act as counter programming," Rasiej added. "It would also focus people's intentions on the need to register voters and get out the vote."
The concert could raise millions of dollars that Rasiej said he hopes would go toward voter registration efforts.
--Asbury Park Press
By DAN KAPLAN
STAFF WRITER
NEW YORK -- It would be Bush vs. The Boss.
A former city concert hall owner and Democratic activist wants Bruce Springsteen to lead a show of all shows at Giants Stadium while President Bush is receiving the nomination for re-election at the Republican National Convention in Manhattan.
And although it appears unlikely Springsteen would perform, the promoter is asking for help from anyone with access to the Internet.
Andrew Rasiej, 46, the former owner of Irving Plaza in downtown Manhattan, said he has reserved Giants Stadium for the night of Sept. 1, and he hopes Monmouth County native Springsteen headlines the planned concert.
Rasiej, born in Bergen County, has set up Draftbruce.com, which asks Web users to sign a petition urging the Boss to "lead the music industry in coming together and perform in a concert for change."
"Once it is known that you are involved, many other artists will want to perform with you," Rasiej wrote in a letter to Springsteen on the site's home page. "Together your collective voices and music will send a clear message to all Americans that our country needs their vote to create change."
As of yesterday about 100,000 people have signed the petition, Rasiej said, and about 2,000 supporters were registering every hour.
Rasiej estimates his chances of pulling off the show are "50-50."
Shore Fire Media, the publicist for Springsteen, said yesterday in an e-mail the rock star "definitely will not perform any concerts tied to either the Republican or Democratic conventions."
Springsteen has voiced opposition to the war in Iraq while on tour. At a concert last October at Shea Stadium in Queens, he asked the crowd to sing "a little louder if you wanna impeach the president."
And on his personal Web site, Brucespringsteen.net, he published a May 26 speech by former Vice President Al Gore that harshly criticizes the Bush administration.
Rasiej said yesterday he has contacted other well-known musical performers, including Bon Jovi, REM and Sheryl Crow, to see if they would want to join Springsteen on stage for the event.
Those artists have expressed preliminary interest, Rasiej said, "to the effect that if you build it, we will be there."
Other musicians Rasiej has considered for the show are Bob Dylan, U2, The Dixie Chicks and The Dave Matthews Band.
But getting The Boss to sign on is the primary goal, and Rasiej said he hopes the growing petition will change his mind.
"In order for this to happen, the concert needs a leader," Rasiej said, "a singular artist who already has a great deal of respect in the artistic community and the moral authority who is able to do this."
For the show to counter and even upstage the Republican convention, an audience in the millions is necessary.
"Selling out Giants Stadium alone is not that exciting," Rasiej said. "The only way it would have any potential value is if 10 or 20 other artists came together and performed in a concert of historic relevance . . . and if it was available on television."
"It would generate a television audience that would act as counter programming," Rasiej added. "It would also focus people's intentions on the need to register voters and get out the vote."
The concert could raise millions of dollars that Rasiej said he hopes would go toward voter registration efforts.
--Asbury Park Press
