Power to the Peaceful 2009

I won't be able to make it to the 9/12 Washington Tea Party. I just couldn't get it together, but Plan B is pretty outstanding too.

Instead of marching for freedom in D.C., I'll be partying on the left coast with the lefties at Power to the Peaceful, a free music festival headlined and organized every year by Michael Franti. It's usually about ending the war and bringing the troops home, but I have a feeling with a fellow traveler as Commander-in-Chief this year, the focus will shift somewhat to promoting communist healthcare.

Remember how Van Jones said, "... the path of social change needs to go through youth culture, and therefore it needs to go through hip-hop. Once hip-hop becomes central to social change, the entire game will be changed." Yeah, well Power to the Peaceful is exactly that kind of event, an attempt to bring social change through youth culture (though Franti and the other bands are more musically diverse than just hip-hop).

And remember that 9/11 Truther petition that Van Jones signed (#46)? Yeah, well Michael Franti signed it, too (#30). I wouldn't be surprised to see old Van show up and speak, now that he's lost his day job.

If you haven't heard Michael Franti, you're missing something. Check out a couple of my favorites: Time to Go Home and Yell Fire! If you're in the Frisco area tomorrow, don't miss it!

Canadian pop princess Alanis Morrissette is one of the opening acts.

2006 pics here.