Obama rocks the vote with members of Wilco - Concert and speech aim to energize young fans

[jefferson_dem]

Obama rocks the vote with members of Wilco
THE RIV | Concert and speech aim to energize young fans
December 8, 2007

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter

White House hopeful Barack Obama won even louder cheers than Wilco Friday night as he kicked off a series of Ba-rock concerts he plans to hold around the country energizing young fans.

"The speech was awesome!" Matt Marneris, 23, said as Obama finished at the Riviera in Uptown. "I just came here with my friend. I would have considered myself a Republican, but not anymore."

But from the enhusiastic cheering for the man Tweedy introduced as "the next president of the United States," it might have seemed like it was written for Obama.

The American people "don't understand an administration that treats the Constitution as a nuisance rather than as the foundation of our liberty," Obama said to cheers from multiple levels of fans who spent $50, $75, or $100 to see him and the bands. "This is our moment! This is our moment!"

In a surprise move, four of the six members of Wilco appeared, along with members of Third Eye Blind, whose lead singer Stephan Jenkins promised to go to Iowa for Obama if audience members would pick up their cell phones and call to volunteer immediately.

"I think he's the only candidate who has the potential to bring the nation together and to heal the wounds that have been inflicted by this administration," said Erin Heard, 36, of Libertyville.

<SNIP>

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/687313,CST-NWS-obama08.article

[rucky]

1. Wilco is one of my favorite bands of all-time.

That's a big endorsement in my book.

[cali]

2. Love Wilco.

Wish I'd been there. How cool for Obama.

[MADem]

3. "Fans?" That's what political supporters are, now? I guess we are in an age of

total info-tainment, where that whole 'rock star' nonsense takes the fore and policy discussions are in short supply.

Perhaps the writer was applying the 'fan' word to the band acolytes--it's just written in a way that the whole business seems rather smooshed together!

Well, whatever they're called, if Obama can shift Republican voters to the Democratic rolls, that's a good thing!

[1932]

4. In Uncle Tupelo, Tweedy wrote the relationship songs & Farrar wrote about coal miners and factory

workers. Chicagoan Jeff Tweedy & the rest of Uncle Tupelo formed Wilco and Jay Farrar formed Sun Volt.

Let me know who Sun Volt endorses.

:)

On edit:

Here's a Jay Farrar-written Uncle Tupelo song:

It's funny how it all works out
Mad men in suits walking about
I'd like to change your point of view someday
But I feel my patience slipping away

Looks like it's time to lay this burden down
Stop messing around
Don't want to go to the grave without a sound
Give this whole place a rest
Not to ride on the factory belt
Not to ride on the factory belt

You do all you can to just get by
With poison all around
It needs no disguise
You can see it on faces
Parcel at your door
You know there ain't no chance our respect is no more

Looks like it's time to lay this burden down
Stop messing around
Don't want to hurry to the grave in the ground

[rucky]

5. Don't forget who re-made the Woody Guthrie songs.

Tweedy's got some activist chops.

Yeah, yeah, Bragg was there, too.

[1932]

6. I think Billy Bragg first met Tweedy when Uncle Tupelo did shows with him in the early '90s

which he says in the documentary about the making of those albums...and he asked Tweedy to work with him after Guthrie's daughter asked him to make the album.