Rock and Roll gets its night(s) in the spotlight
In honor of our 25th Anniversary, the (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) Foundation will host two very special benefit concerts at Madison Square Garden on October 29th and 30th, 2009. Each night will highlight different artists that will not only celebrate their music, but invite musical guests to join them onstage for what will be two unforgettable evenings with unique collaborations.
So reads the official announcement from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame regarding this week’s huge anniversary concerts.
And, indeed the events in New York could very well be unforgettable for those fortunate enough to be in attendance over the next two nights.
As Joel Peresman, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation’s president and chief executive told Glenn Gamboa in his Newsday feature, “There’s not too many shows where you can see Aretha Franklin and Metallica on the same stage.”
Peresman, Jann Wenner (co-founder of the rock hall and publisher of Rolling Stone magazine), and U2′s Bono are all quoted in Geoff Boucher’s preview of the shows in the Los Angeles Times.
Boucher refers to this moment as “a tricky time for rock and for the rock hall itself,” but all associated with the show provide their thoughts on why the music (and the hall) will endure.
Among the artists expected to perform include the aforementioned Aretha Franklin, Metallica, and U2, along with Bruce Springsteen, Simon & Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and a boatload of special collaborators.
And for the 99.9% of the population that won’t be in attendance (including previously announced Eric Clapton, sidelined by gallstone surgery), HBO will condense the two nights into a 4-hour special scheduled to air on Sunday, November 29th.
