Queensryche To Participate In No Vote Left Behind Festival/Fundraiser

No Vote Left Behind has announced the initial list of participating artists for its festival/fundraiser, which will take place in most major Seattle venues September 23rd - 26th.

Based on the premise that music has the power to change things - like presidents - NVLB has assembled a diverse cross section of the creative community united in the desire to effect a change in our country's current regime, and to raise a collective voice toward a more progressive agenda.

Artists participating in the festival will include Queensryche, Pearl Jam, David Cross, Mudhoney, John Doe, Grant-Lee Phillips, Pansy Division, The Scavengers, Jon Brion, Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), John Roderick (Long Winters), John Vanderslice, The Delays, Robbers On High Street, Kinski, El Vez, Hedwig And The Angry Inch and many more to be confirmed shortly.

"It's hard to believe that it was just a few short months ago that I came back from an exasperating Christmas visit with family and hatched the idea that was to become No Vote Left Behind," says co-founder Natasha George. "NVLB has grown in ways that I could have never imagined. Thanks to everyone who helped us make this happen!"

"This festival is a tribute to the incredible music scene here in Seattle,"says co-booker Barbara Mitchell. "There's an amazing amount of talent, but more than that there's a deep sense of community and a willingness to work toward a common goal - in this case, making a statement that it's time for a regime change. We couldn't have done this without the club booking agents, bands who talked to their friends, and everyone else who was willing to help us. Amazingly, it worked!"

Participating venues include the Crocodile, Showbox, Sunset Tavern, Tractor Tavern, Neumo's, Graceland and the Comet Tavern, among others.
An announcement of the full line-up, including specific venues and dates for each artist, will be made after Labor Day, with tickets to go on sale Friday, Sept 10, 2004. To celebrate the announcement of the line-up, a kick-off event will be held at Neumo's on Saturday, September 11th, featuring Outtasite, Children of the Revolution, and Sir Mix-a-lot. A portion of the proceeds from this show will benefit NVLB. For more information on the kick-off event click here.

Due to the federal regulations, you must be at least 18 years of age and a registered U.S. citizen to purchase tickets to these shows. No exceptions. If you elect to purchase tickets to No Vote Left Behind events, you are making a financial contribution to No Vote Left Behind, which is a political action committee. Donations to NVLB are not tax-deductible.

No Vote Left Behind will fund:
* A fundraising music festival in Seattle the weekend of September 23-26, 2004
* Targeted donations to the Democratic National Committee to help secure a Kerry/Edwards victory in November
* Progressive candidates in contested congressional races in order to win back the legislative branch
* Progressive, like-minded PACs and causes such as voter registration, election monitoring, and verified voting drives

How We Are Different - With nearly $650 million in yearly revenues and 8,700 local jobs, the Seattle music industry is a cultural and economic force. NVLB is working to transform this vibrant community into a national political funding source. As NVLB's Chris Olson explains, "There are a lot of other great organizations that are using music to increase voter turn-out and register voters. We want to use music more directly as a fundraising tool. We really want to be a partisan voice in the music community working for regime change. The reason we organized as a hard-money PAC is because it allows us to have that voice, and to say, 'Our community is against Bush.'"

While ousting the Bush administration is the driving mission behind all NVLB activity, NVLB funds will also go to fund progressive candidates' campaigns for the House and Senate in hotly-contested races, because there is more to regime change than the presidential election.

Source: BW&BK