Opinion
A convention playlist
By: Jeff Dufour
Editor at Large/Columnist, "Yeas & Nays"
08/25/08 5:00 AM EDT
Rockin’ and Rappin’At this year’s party conventions, the musical entertainment is holding true to form: Democrats have the beat, while Republicans have a little twang.
At the Democratic National Convention in Denver next week, Obamamaniacs will be treated to a phalanx of high-powered hip-hop stars. Wyclef Jean performs at an MTV event on Monday night, while on Tuesday, Nelly appears at the Impact Film Festival’s party. On Wednesday, the Black Eyed Peas get it started at the Creative Coalition’s gala on Wednesday and Kanye West “graduates” to a party by the RIAA and the One Campaign.
Also appearing throughout the week: Cyndi Lauper, Rage Against the Machine, Melissa Etheridge, Moby, Willie Nelson and alt-country stars the Drive-By Truckers.
Take the “alt” out of country at the Republican convention the following week in Minneapolis/St. Paul. It will be dominated by Nashville hitmakers such as Lee Ann Rimes, Gretchen “Redneck Woman” Wilson and the Charlie Daniels Band.
Not that there won’t be any chance to rock: former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar, Smash Mouth and arena rockers Styx will also perform. The Beach Boys will hold down the lighter side of things. You can even see former GOP candidate Mike Huckabee’s band, Capital Offense, perform in the afternoon on Wednesday.
Also playing at both conventions: the Grammy-nominated “American Idol” also-ran Chris Daughtry.
But the man responsible for the most entertainers at either convention may be Republican lobbyist Jeff Kimbell. Through his Magnum Entertainment business, Kimbell has booked 90s rockers Big Head Todd and the Monsters for Monday, Jack Ingram and Robert Earl Keen on Tuesday and Neil Diamond tribute act Super Diamond on Wednesday – all at the Fine Line Music Café.
Kimbell is hoping to build on his success at the GOP confab in New York in 2004, when he booked ZZ Top, The Marshall Tucker Band, Dickey Betts & Great Southern and … SuperDiamond.
Convention Jukebox
Below, we give you a sample iTunes playlist from the artists who’ll be appearing, with some songs that just might have a hidden meaning or two:
“Self Destructive Zones,” The Drive-By Truckers
“The Party’s Over,” Willie Nelson
“Barbara Ann,” The Beach Boys (this one goes out to John McCain)
“Here for the Party,” Gretchen Wilson
“Mas Tequila,” Sammy Hagar
“The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” Charlie Daniels Band
“Fade to Blue,” Lee Ann Rimes
“Anything Can Happen,” Wyclef Jean
“No Souvenirs,” Melissa Etheridge
“Let’s Get Retarded,” Black Eyed Peas (from the “Elephunk” album)
“We Don’t Care,” Kanye West
“It’s Not Over,” Daughtry
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