Environmental Coalition hosts free concert Thursday night
By Lance Vaillancourt (Contact)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
University of Colorado students looking to get down to a live mix of bluegrass, alternative rock, and funk performances -- all for a good cause, and without spending a dime to get in -- can find it all Thursday evening at Club 156 in the University Memorial Center.
It's hosted by student leaders from PowerVote, a national grassroots organization aiming to collect a million pledges from students and citizens across the nation committing to vote for green energy policies, and CU's Student Environmental Action Coalition. The goal of the concert is to provide a night of free entertainment for students, along with an opportunity to be a part of the "green energy movement," according to event organizers.
"Students on campus love concerts, so free music is a great way to get people out," said CU senior Eric Freese, president of SEAC. "The more people we get involved, the better it will be for the environment and the whole cause. A lot of things that renewable energy can solve could affect people of our generation."
The motivation for the free concert is important not only to the students who are planning it, but also to the many of the members of the bands who will be performing -- such as Dan Menchey, lead singer and percussionist for Morsoul. The band will be dishing out its Steely-Dan-meets-the-Chili-Peppers style of rock/funk jams as part of a lineup that features local bands The Knows Pick, Tigris, and the Quick and the Pointless.
"The reason I got involved is because I'm really into the alternative fuels movement -- I actually approached them because I think it's really important," said Menchey, who said Morsoul has even recently converted its tour bus to run on fryer grease and veggie oil. "I believe there are many ways to make energy, and PowerVote is trying to direct politicians to explore them."
Joseph Marshall, CU senior and media coordinator for PowerVote, explained that the pledges collected by the organization will be compiled and sent to candidates and political leaders at both the local and national levels as a symbol of the people's will to create and keep green-energy jobs in the U.S.
"We want to promote local revenue from energy, as opposed to sending it to foreign oil," said Marshall. "This is not just a concert, we want people to feel like they are a part of the future of green action -- like they are getting behind the movement and spreading the idea of a green revolution."
The concert will also feature brief addresses from leaders of SEAC and PowerVote as the bands are setting up.
"We want people to experience a great night of musical entertainment and also feel good that they are directly involved in changing the countries direction at a critical time," said Menchey.
http://www.coloradodaily.com/news/2008/oct/22/rocking-to-a-green-revolut...
