SEATTLE (AP) - Last week's
other series of benefit concerts -- Seattle's Groundwork 2001 series, which benefited the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization's anti-hunger campaign -- closed Monday (Oct. 22) night with a marathon six-hour show at Emerald City's Key Arena.
Monday's show, hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow, kicked off with a haunting number by the Lummi Nation's Tom Family Singers, who chanted while beating handheld drums. There was drumming of a different sort when Femi Kuti took the stage with his 14-member band, Positive Force, boasting the typical rock configuration (guitar, bass, drums), plus horns (Kuti himself toting a sax), and three female dancers dressed in vibrant red costumes. The propulsive set, including songs from Kuti's new album, Fight to Win, had the musicians and his dancers jumping around the stage.
Mexico's Mana was the first group to get the audience on their feet (fans in the stadium even came equipped with their own Mexican flags). But the mostly high-energy set was also tempered by quieter numbers that featured translation on the screen behind the stage ("If you sow love, there will always be love" read one lyric). Lead singer Fher Olvera drew cheers when he waved a Mexican flag and another flag decorated with a peace sign, then tied the two together.
Alanis Morissette |
Alanis Morissette's performance couldn't compete energy-wise, but was nonetheless strong and soulful, though marred by a bass-heavy sound mix. Typical was a new song, "Sister Blister," which started at low volume and built to a powerful wave of sound. The set also featured songs like "Thank U," and Morissette-as-harmonica-blower on "All I Really Want."
Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder then introduced a surprise guest, Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, nephew of the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who flew in from Pakistan ("Taking a flight from Pakistan right now is an act of courage in itself," Vedder noted), to perform a half hour set of Pakistani qawwali music with his group, and received a standing ovation. Street performer Artis the Spoonman (of Soundgarden's "Spoonman" video) also demonstrated his skill with, well, spoons.
Pearl Jam received a hero's welcome, opening with John Lennon's "Give Me Some Truth. The crowd remained on its feet throughout, stamping and cheering during "Better Man," a searing "Do the Evolution," and a new song, "I Am Mine." Vedder brought Khan back for "The Long Road," which he'd originally sung with Nusrat for the film Dead Man Walking. Khan embraced Vedder at the end to delirious screams from the crowd -- and scattered boos when there was no encore.
Eddie Vedder |
In sharp contrast, R.E.M.'s set was initially lower-key; "
The One I Love" was performed
MTV Unplugged-style, and a chorus of
Pearl Jam's "
Better Man" brought laughs and cheers. But "Man on the Moon" drove the energy back up, as did the encores � which included a new song "I've Been High," a very rousing "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)," and a cover of Patti Smith's "People Have the Power" (featuring Vedder back onstage to share vocals).
"Did you get your money's worth?" Stipe asked at one point. Judging by the response, the answer was a resounding "yes."
The six-concert series, produced by the Experience Music Project, opened Oct. 14 and so far, has raised $1 million. A benefit CD, Groundwork: Act to Reduce Hunger, featuring Madonna, Tom Waits, Moby, Emmylou Harris, David Gray, and others has also been released on the organization's Web site.
