22 replies to this topic

[vamos]

http://blogs.citypag..._show_stopp.php

"A peaceful concert on the capitol lawn took a turn when rumors started circulating that Rage Against the Machine would play. Supposed headliners Anti-Flag finished up their set and told the crowd: "Stay put: shit's gonna get crazy."

What proceeded can only be described as organized chaos. As fans chanted "Let them play" and "Our Capitol," Rage band members could be seen on the capitol steps arguing with state troopers. After about 15 minutes of chanting and arguing with police, the band walked around the perimeter of the stage and into the crowd.

Grabbing a bullhorn, Zach de la Rocha asked the crowd to be quiet and sit down. He addressed the crowd with anti-war messages and then led the crowd in an a capella sing-a-long of "Killing in the Name" accompanied by bandmate Tom Morello.

As the crowd began to get restless, de la Rocha and Morello led the audience of approximately 2,000-3,000 people on an impromptu march along Cedar Avenue. Coincidentally, or perhaps on purpose, the Poor Peoples' Human Rights Campaign was also conducting a march. The two marches converged on Cedar Avenue and collectively moved toward the Xcel Center, where thousands are now congregated.

The crowd is collectively rushing the barricades, yelling and provoking police. Black Bloc protesters have been spotted, and I personally overheard a riot cop telling others he was nervous because one was waving an Anarchy flag. The cop said: "they are here." There have been rumors of tear gas along the march. I'm witnessing someone washing out his eyes right now, but didn't witness any tear gas myself. The person rinsing his eyes out is holding a camera and appears to be a photographer.

UPDATE: The march bottlenecked in front of the Xcel Center, where the Poor Peoples' Human Rights Campaign intended to peacefully demonstrate in front of the Dorothy Day Center. However, with the addition of the nixed RATM show's attendees, the heat quickly rose between protesters and police. The crowd was told repeatedly to disperse, and I personally left the scene after the initial warnings due to a fear of getting gassed. The streets were lined with riot police, who were stacked two-deep at points, even perched on top of Mickey's Diner with pepper spray guns raised. Reports from my friends and colleagues on Twitter indicate that the crowd was given two more warnings, and was then tear gassed. Skirmishes between police and protesters were still taking place as I left the city, and 15-20 police cars and vans were headed into St. Paul on 94 as I headed out.

[Soundscape]

I was down there..altho I got there a bit too late..but they had a lot of security wearing gasmasks. One guy was provoking some of them..my friend and I didn't stick around too much longer after that.

[The Sheck]

They arrived 15 minutes before the concert was supposed to end, and they didn't have a permit to play. I mean...call it what you want, but those are the facts. Was a cool peaceful show before this 'controversy' went down. Not to mention they've been getting a lot of heat for charging $60 for their show here tomorrow, while the Denver shows were nowhere near as expensive to get in. Wasn't one of them free?

[undo]

i was just turning the corner onto Cedar when the police began to advance. everyone started screaming and thne all of a sudden the cops where there on horseback tazering everyone in sight. the crowd started to run and this girl next to me fell to the ground. i knelt down to help her up and then i saw there was blood on my hand. we ran for our lives down the street until a few of her friends picked us up in a van a few blocks away. i'm still shaking as a iwrite this, i dont believe what just happened.

[The Sheck]

i was just turning the corner onto Cedar when the police began to advance. everyone started screaming and thne all of a sudden the cops where there on horseback tazering everyone in sight. the crowd started to run and this girl next to me fell to the ground. i knelt down to help her up and then i saw there was blood on my hand. we ran for our lives down the street until a few of her friends picked us up in a van a few blocks away.

i'm still shaking as a iwrite this, i dont believe what just happened.

Yeah. there were a bunch of people crowding an intersection around there on 7th and the police started firing tear gas and stuff. Did you come up for this, or have you always been from the Cities and I've been ignorant this whole time?

[solace]

They arrived 15 minutes before the concert was supposed to end, and they didn't have a permit to play. I mean...call it what you want, but those are the facts. Was a cool peaceful show before this 'controversy' went down.

Not to mention they've been getting a lot of heat for charging $60 for their show here tomorrow, while the Denver shows were nowhere near as expensive to get in. Wasn't one of them free?

were you down there all day? i didn't get there until about 6:15 or so after work as Anti-Flag finished up

it was peaceful even AFTER the controversy went down too... nevermind what the protestors did after they left the grounds (it was the Black Bloc kids who joined up downtown that were causing the violence yet again, just like yesterday, morons) . the band also didn't protest down to the RNC like in Denver, they left in a few diff vehicles after they walked a ways down the block and were getting crowded a bit by fans. this was absolutely nothing like the chaos @ the 2000 DNC, in fact i was kind of amazed how calm the people were while waiting for the band to (hopefully) come on stage to play, it was sort of surreal actually.

i think it was actually just as cool for them to come down into the crowd, have 1500-2000 people sit down and listen and all sing along. sure it was a bit cheesy, but still very special imo.

as for them taking heat for the show @ Target Center vs. the free DNC show (they only played one show there)... as i've mentioned before, i know one of the people who organized Ripple Effect personally and they tried 3 different avenues to get a permit for Rage to play the capitol for free officially but were all denied due to security/safety concerns. as for tonight, while it was a "surprise" (word started leaking out around 5pm or so), it was definitely planned behind the scenes a while ago apparently. i don't blame the cops for not letting them play really (even if they had time (up until 7pm), and after talking briefly with Tom tonight (he showed up in Mpls to play another show), the band wasn't really that upset or suprised that they weren't allowed to play either. (i heard from a friend that while they were waiting behind the stage for the police to decide for sure if they could play or not, that they had someone taking down names for anyone who wanted to be put on the list for tonights show)

there's some cool videos of the capitol thing on YouTube

the show @ the Parkway tonight was pretty f'n amazing. Billy Bragg, Ike Reilly, Morello, Boots Riley, some great local Mpls artists, etc.

[Badger]

This is getting some predictably broad brushstroke (read: lazy right wing) coverage in the UK freesheets today.
Presented as 'anarchists riot', no mention of RATM or police brutality obv.

the show @ the Parkway tonight was pretty f'n amazing. Billy Bragg, Ike Reilly, Morello, Boots Riley, some great local Mpls artists, etc.

I saw Billy Bragg collecting a takeaway meal from a Thai restaurant in smalltown Dorset on Friday night.
He gets around.

[scarymuppet]

Fuck Rage for making politically aware young people into a bunch of violent idiots.

[solace]

***IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

AS FESTIVAL ENDS, RIPPLE EFFECT BEGINS

- State Officials’ Reaction to Rage Against the Machine on Capitol Lawn Ensures Continued Progressive Action -

This past Tuesday, the “Ripple Effect” began on several levels. Thousands of people gathered on the Capitol Lawn and connected with progressive organizations and each other, ensuring a movement of constructive, positive, progressive action. The entire day was filled with peaceful interaction between law enforcement, demonstrators, and the general public.

Unfortunately, Substance (the organization behind the event) was forced to forfeit a surprise performance by Rage Against the Machine due to intervention by Capitol Staff and State Law Enforcement.

Despite their permit, which granted them use of the area until 7 PM and held no artist-specific provisions – Capitol Grounds Staff chose to cut power to the stage at approximately 6:45, ten minutes after Rage Against the Machine had been held up by state troopers blocking their entrance to the stage, leaving thousands of anxious fans waiting on the State Capitol Lawn. After 20 minutes of crowd chanting that included “Let Them Play,” “Music is not a Crime,” “We’ll be good, we promise,” and a riveting rendition of the national anthem the band came into the crowd and performed an acapella performance of two songs through a megaphone. The crowd then spontaneously marched to the RNC and met up with the Poor People’s March.

After a day of education and involvement, an impact was made from which positive progressive action will continue to Ripple out - well past the RNC.

[Finn McCool]

I saw Billy Bragg collecting a takeaway meal from a Thai restaurant in smalltown Dorset on Friday night.

No shit? Neat.

I haven't been able to take RATM seriously since that neanderthal-looking bassist (Commeford?) climbed a stage prop at the VMA's some years back.

[solace]

I saw Billy Bragg collecting a takeaway meal from a Thai restaurant in smalltown Dorset on Friday night.

No shit? Neat.

I haven't been able to take RATM seriously since that neanderthal-looking bassist (Commeford?) climbed a stage prop at the VMA's some years back.

even when i was a lot more into them in the 90's, always thought he was a douche.

[throughsilver]

I saw Billy Bragg collecting a takeaway meal from a Thai restaurant in smalltown Dorset on Friday night.

No shit? Neat.

I haven't been able to take RATM seriously since that neanderthal-looking bassist (Commeford?) climbed a stage prop at the VMA's some years back.

I so want a Thai yellow curry right now.

Tim2K is awesome largely because he is completely insane.

[nagode]

http://www.pitchfork...aul-mn-09-02-08

[The Sheck]

were you down there all day? i didn't get there until about 6:15 or so after work as Anti-Flag finished up

No, I got in about 2, I guess. I took a half-day, and walked down there.

[DrAftershave]

minnesota is god awful boring at times and situations like this shake the dust off everyday life up there.

[theremin]

I need aggy to do a cover/parody song: "It'll all end in teargas".

[solace]

amazing amazing show last night... easily the best of the 4x i've seen them:

[twicks]

amazing amazing show last night... easily the best of the 4x i've seen them:

"It's our favorite band, dressed as prisoners! Rocking with bags over their heads! WHOOO!"

Sorry, I usually try to respect others' musical tastes. But this is worse than stupid: it's boring. These guys really can't think of anything new, can they?

[solace]

"It's our favorite band, dressed as prisoners! Rocking with bags over their heads! WHOOO!"

Sorry, I usually try to respect others' musical tastes. But this is worse than stupid: it's boring. These guys really can't think of anything new, can they?

it was in response to a Gitmo protest going on in St. Paul yesterday, they got the outfits & bags from the protest group i believe.

i thought it was kind of a powerful statement, but what do i know.

[twicks]

"It's our favorite band, dressed as prisoners! Rocking with bags over their heads! WHOOO!"

Sorry, I usually try to respect others' musical tastes. But this is worse than stupid: it's boring. These guys really can't think of anything new, can they?

it was in response to a Gitmo protest going on in St. Paul yesterday, they got the outfits & bags from the protest group i believe.

i thought it was kind of a powerful statement, but what do i know.

Something about them rocking out with the bags on just seemed ridiculous.

Maybe it just seems tired to me because I remember them doing this performance-art shtick back in the '90s...I specifically recall a photo in Rolling Stone with them at Lollapalooza, standing onstage naked with duct tape over their mouths. Some kind of "freedom of speech" statement, I'm sure.

It seems even lamer without any new music to play. Same old angry stuff.