By Glenn Gamboa
NEW YORK — The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is generally one of the year's swankiest, most exclusive affairs — marked by once-in-a-lifetime collaborations, stunning arguments and $1,500-a-plate dinners at the Waldorf-Astoria. Sure, you could watch much of it unfold on VH1 or Fuse, but there is something about having that much rock royalty in one place that is hard to capture without seeing (and hearing) it in person. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first induction, the Rock Hall is bringing its wildly ambitious party to the people this week.
“When we put this event together, we were trying to do something similar to the way our induction ceremonies go, when you have disparate inductees playing music together that created something different,” says Joel Peresman, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation's president and chief executive. “There's not too many shows where you can see Aretha Franklin and Metallica on the same stage.”
True enough. For its anniversary shows at Madison Square Garden tomorrow and Friday, Rock Hall organizers will have Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends headlining the first night, and U2, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin and Metallica the second.
In turn, many of the headliners will have special guests as well, as they all aim to tell the story of rock and roll so far. In addition to the E Street Band, Springsteen will have Sam Moore and Darlene Love on hand. Wonder will team with Smokey Robinson, B.B. King and John Legend. Simon will not only play with Garfunkel, but Dion and Little Anthony & the Imperials. Clapton will be joined by Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy for what could shape up to be a guitar lovers' dream. Franklin will be joined by Annie Lennox and Lenny Kravitz. Ozzy Osbourne will join Metallica. Crosby, Stills and Nash's “friends” list will include James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne.
Peresman says each of the headliners has been building their individual sets, choosing songs and special guests, by collaborating with the concert's curators — an A-list list that includes Tom Hanks and his production partner Gary Goetzman, Rolling Stone founder and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame chairman Jann Wenner, Hall of Famer Robbie Robertson from The Band, and director Cameron Crowe.
“Each of them will cover different bases of the history of rock 'n' roll,” says Peresman, adding that the concerts will be edited down into a four-hour HBO special to air Thanksgiving weekend. “The mission for them is to tell their story through their own music and through the music of artists that were really inspirational to them and the genres that helped shaped them.”
Actor Tom Hanks speaks during the first of two 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concerts in New York October 29, 2009.
Musician Sting performs during the first of two 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concerts in New York October 29, 2009.
Musician Stevie Wonder performs during the first of two 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concerts in New York October 29, 2009.
Little Anthony (R) and the Imperials perform during the first of two 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concerts in New York October 29, 2009.
Musician Sting (L) performs with Stevie Wonder during the first of two 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concerts in New York October 29, 2009
Musician Bruce Springsteen (R) performs with John Fogerty during the first of two 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concerts in New York October30, 2009.
source: www3.signonsandiego.com
credit photo: Reuters