Concerts across US to highlight gun violence
AFP
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES- Musicians including Jackson Browne and Rosanne Cash will lead some 100 simultaneous concerts across the United States next month aimed at putting persistent gun violence high on the election agenda.
Concert Across America will take place on September 25 and will encourage participants to register to vote in the November 8 general election.
Organizers said the concerts would address the "epidemic of gun violence" in the United States, where more than 33,000 people die from firearms each year.
"This powerful coast-to-coast concert and organizing effort will raise awareness and -- very importantly -- get out the vote on gun violence prevention in the November elections and beyond," said John Rosenthal, founder of Stop Handgun Violence, which is among the groups spearheading the concert.
The groups announced 100 concert sites across the United States, ranging from prominent music halls to small churches and encouraged people to set up further events.
The venues include New York's historic Beacon Theatre where the lineup will include folk rock great Browne and Cash, the country singer and daughter of late legend Johnny Cash.
Several other venues also announced shows. The Boston show will feature Tanya Donnelly of alternative rock bands The Breeders, Belly and Throwing Muses.
The concerts will take place on the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims, established by Congress in 2007, with activists saying the government has done little else to address the violence.
The National Rifle Association has successfully fought attempts to regulate guns following a series of mass killings including the 2012 massacre of children at Sandy Hook Elementary School and June's assault on an Orlando gay club.
While the concerts will not support individual candidates, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has vowed to fight the gun lobby and reduce access to military-style weapons.
Republican contender Donald Trump has promised to defend the right to bear arms and says he sometimes carries a gun.
More than 10 out of every 100,000 Americans die every year from guns, including suicides, a rate far higher than in other Western countries.
The Concert Across America is just one politically-tinged music event taking place this election season.
Abortion rights supporters have announced a series of concerts on September 10 led by pop singer Sia.
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"This powerful coast-to-coast concert and organizing effort will raise awareness and -- very importantly -- get out the vote on gun violence prevention in the November elections and beyond," said John Rosenthal, founder of Stop Handgun Violence, which is among the groups spearheading the concert.
The groups announced 100 concert sites across the United States, ranging from prominent music halls to small churches and encouraged people to set up further events.
The venues include New York's historic Beacon Theatre where the lineup will include folk rock great Browne and Cash, the country singer and daughter of late legend Johnny Cash.
Several other venues also announced shows. The Boston show will feature Tanya Donnelly of alternative rock bands The Breeders, Belly and Throwing Muses.
The concerts will take place on the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims, established by Congress in 2007, with activists saying the government has done little else to address the violence.
The National Rifle Association has successfully fought attempts to regulate guns following a series of mass killings including the 2012 massacre of children at Sandy Hook Elementary School and June's assault on an Orlando gay club.
While the concerts will not support individual candidates, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has vowed to fight the gun lobby and reduce access to military-style weapons.
Republican contender Donald Trump has promised to defend the right to bear arms and says he sometimes carries a gun.
More than 10 out of every 100,000 Americans die every year from guns, including suicides, a rate far higher than in other Western countries.
The Concert Across America is just one politically-tinged music event taking place this election season.
Abortion rights supporters have announced a series of concerts on September 10 led by pop singer Sia.
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