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Tours de Farce: Candidates Stump for Your Front Row Vote
Although Gore seemingly took a stance in regards to which shows Elian should see, there are other concert issues that neither candidate has spoken of, or even acknowledged during the primaries. These include the legal definition of “reunion” in relation to press coverage of Diana Ross & The Supremes, along with bill HOB 391, which calls for Medicare to cover service charge expenses for senior citizens purchasing tickets for bands like Pablo Cruise or Omar & The Howlers.
A lot can happen between now and November. Whether other concert issues will be addressed at the debates or merely incorporated within each party’s platform remains to be seen. At the top of that list is Senate bill SFX 2817, the controversial redistricting of amphitheatre markets which could heavily impact summer tour plans for Dave Matthews Band and Jimmy Buffett, by limiting the acceptable blood-alcohol level for lawn seat fans shouting out song requests.
Is either candidate really knowledgeable of current concert affairs? And will the next President actually keep any promise that he may make in regards to tour legislation? Perhaps political pundit Alice Cooper summed it up best when he wrote almost thirty years ago, “Candidates may promise that the shows will start on time and support groups will be allowed decent sound checks, but in reality all they are saying is ‘I want to be elected.'”