Register People To Vote At Concerts, Get In Free

The Music For America people realized early on that kids like parties. They will pay for a party at your polling place, without so much as an eyeroll or a raised eyebrow at your rental of both smoke and bubble machines. Music For America figures it furthers their goals of increasing the voter turnout of young people, and educating and engaging them in politics, or, as they spell it, "politix".

Music For America also noticed quickly that kids like music (hence their name). Volunteers register the youth of America at their natural habitat: rock 'n' roll concerts, when the rapscallions are in a good mood and their resistance is low. Said volunteers get in the shows free in exchange for their time and having to chat with the emo boys and girls.

Participating artists include the Decemberists, TV On the Radio, Minus The Bear, the Long Winters, and Xiu Xiu.

There's already a wait list for some shows, so you might want to check it out soon if you're interested.

Some truly horrible banter is suggested but I encourage volunteers to reject it. I hope exchanges like this don't really occur: "'Do you like the Blah-blahs?'" (whatever band that's playing that night) They say yes, and you say, 'Well, they're in Music for America and you should be too.'" I think someone might as well say, "Vote or die" and I'd just as soon anyone who found either line persuasive did not vote. I also feel that while the Blah-blahs are a pretty good band, I rarely agree with their political opinions, but that's neither here nor there.

I also think Music For America should stop using the spelling "politix". It doesn't make politics seem more hip; it makes them appear desperate to look hip. Still, I agree that voting is totally cool and should be encouraged, to the extreme.

Minus The Bear - This Ain't A Surfing Movie (YSI link, two upload attempts at EZArchive seemed to go through, then failed. Available on Menos el Oso)