Tibetan Freedom Concert

By Alex Rainert

Staff Writer

his year it was in New York, last year it was in San Francisco and next year it looks be in our nation's capital. The Tibetan Freedom Concert is becoming a part of the summer concert circuit as much as Lollapalooza and the H.O.R.D.E. Festival are, yet it is far more important for many reasons. Most importantly, this concert has a definite political agenda- the liberation of Tibet from China. This is definitely a refreshing change from the usual, somewhat vaccuous environment that accompanies most concerts. The Tibetan Freedom Concert also provides a good medium for people who don't usually look outside there immediate surroundings at civil rights issues, to do so through music. Also, the fact that it only happens only one weekend a year makes it a definite event to see. Even if for a brief moment, sometime during the day, you stop and realize that these "rock stars," who are often portrayed as empty icons might actually have some opinions on social issues, it is worth it. Finally, being able to see an ecclectic colection of artists including the Beastie Boys, Radiohead, U2, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Michael Stipe and Eddie Vedder, proved to be a very valuable experience.

Organized by Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys, (he's the one they call MCA)and the Milarepa Fund, this concert proves to be a staple for years to come. On November 4th, Capitol releasedTibetan Freedom Concert which chronicles the past two years of the show, weighing more heavily on the most recent show. It is a three-cd set containing one song from almost every performer, including a handful of authentic Tibetan music tracks. I can't say that I agree with all the the song choices but that's because my personal taste is getting in the way. From an objective point of view, every single one of the tracks is of exceptional sound quality and the choice of songs is very strong. Upon first listen, the standout tracks are "Meija" from Porno for Pyros, "Oh My God" by A Tribe Called Quest, "Bulls on Parade" by Rage Against the Machine, and "Root Down" by the Beastie Boys.

If next year's upcoming show proves to be anything like this year's, I recommend that you go if you can can make it down to D.C. Granted, one can't expect a two-hour set from the bands but even if you see each band for half an hour, it makes the two-day, $75 pass well worth it. I also see the three-CD set as a worthwhile investment whether or not you attended either show, but especially if you did.