Brandon Linton & Erin McCracken article (spin)
on Rusted Root show contradicts "live" video and
actual reality - as well as printed retort in
Editor's Opinion Page.
It's a shame. RR has worked so hard to achieve
the level they have in such a cheesy, cut-
throat, shifting industry - bringing some
organnic honesty, integrity & soul
back into it. And then you have these obviously
biased staff writers abusing
their power and voices to support their
frustrated agendas. (Sorry their
favorite band didn't get the headlining slot).
Although I'm glad you printed the following
retort in the letters to the
editor/opinions section..
http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2005/04/04-26-05tdc/04-26-05dops-letter-01.asp
- You know, it's not strong enough and the
widespread visibility of the initial (biased
spin) article has done its damage - duking
innocent, naive people not in attendance.
I think it should be retracted. Please review
the following:
Send Me On My Way _ Penn State University off
the hook _ Rocked that town
so the weather didn't deter anyone from Penn
State this weekend - It was
Alumni weekend, Blue & White weekend and Earth
Day weekend
Rusted Root was to go on to headline the day on
the massive HUB lawn on campus
at 9:45 p.m. The limo driver wasn’t even picking
up the band in Pittsburgh
until 5 pm so i was wondering if they'd get in
at 8ish so i could work w/ Liz
Berlin to set her camera at the sound board and
get my protocol established and
let security know who i am and what i was there
to do
Night descended upon us and the crowd swelled -
chanting, "Rusted Root! Rusted
Root! Rusted Root! Rusted Root! Rusted Root!
Rusted Root! Rusted Root! Rusted
Root! "
All types of demos were there (yeah, poor label
execs - how do you categorize
that - from little kids, H.S., college, after
college professionals, yuppies,
hippies, jar-heads, Greek system, families, gray
hairs, middle age, etc...)
The show had to be stopped four times by the
band! "Alright, alright, alright -
'c’mon, man, there are allot of little kids in
the front there - we appreciate
your enthusiasm but we don't want anyone injured
here" ----
At one point, Jenn Wertz (a new mom) ran and
leaped off the stage and rushed
the barricade that separated crowd from stage
and she made sure this family was
safe from the "crowd tossing" and that the rowdy
students were escorted.
Yet, right on cue - the band once again cont'd
right were they left off w/ out
missing a beat.
"Okay, Michael Glabicki, stopped and began to
say, "look we're Rusted Root - we
really do appreciate and are grateful for your
enthusiasm but that crowd
surfing has to stop - we don't want anyone to
get hurt and we want you all to
have a good time - being safe!"
I was video-oing up front at the stage and from
the barricade I could just see
the first few rows - off the hook - but my
assistant was working the camera at
the sound board and coming up front (through the
crowd) and he and his wife saw
allot of stuff including the following.
Two young 19 year olds taking off their little
stringy tank tops and bumping
and grinding and rubbing in the wet misty rain -
cool wind - in their bras -
just making out like it was nobody's business
but their own.
I have footage and interviews from all kinds -
mainly very inspired university
kids.
Rusted Root is currently on tour to support its
double live CD released on its
own label Touchy Pegg (yet still gratefully able
to enjoy international
distribution).
Best Intent,
http://www.mystrawhat.com
