Spitfire Tour Gives Musicians A Speaking Platform
After following a four-city pilot tour a year ago with a three-day stint at Woodstock '99, organizers are putting the finishing touches on a 20-city college tour of musicians, actors and activists speaking out on global affairs. Dubbed "The Spitfire Tour," the concept was spearheaded by Rage Against The Machine frontman Zack De La Rocha.
Current Spitfire speakers from popular bands include Amy Ray (Indigo Girls), Chuck D (Public Enemy), Art Alexakis (Everclear), Exene Cervanka (X), Greg Graffin (Bad Religion), Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Krist Novoselic (Nirvana), Michael Franti (Spearhead), Mickey Hart (Grateful Dead), Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction) and De La Rocha.
Other speakers include activists Cecilia Rodriguez, Julia ''Butterfly'' Hill, Todd McCormick and Tracy Conaty, actor Woody Harrelson, comic Bill Maher, and designer Kenneth Cole. Up to five speakers will appear on each date.
Among the topics that speakers will address are the environment, human rights, racism, censorship and medical marijuana.
Spitfire events, which are funded by the website Colleges.com, are generally free to students, and will be able to accommodate crowds of 2,000 to 10,000. More information is available at the Colleges.com website, which will post additional dates as they are announced.
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