Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Nas and Phil Vassar to Play Free Virginia Tech Concert

John Mayer, the Dave Matthews Band, and Virginia-born country star Phil Vassar will perform at Virginia Tech's Blacksburg campus on September 6 at A Concert for Virginia Tech, a demonstration of solidarity with the school as it begins a new academic year and tries to move past last April's horrific shootings. "We have a profound respect for the incredible resolve and unwavering sense of hope the university community has shown, and are honored to have the opportunity to share this evening with Virginia Tech," said DMB drummer Carter Beauford.

One free ticket will be available to current students, faculty and staff, as well as spring and summer 2007 graduates, with corporate sponsorships, the sale of commemorative items and the possible sale of an additional ticket to each buyer helping to cover the cost of the event (the artists won't be collecting any fees for their performances). No tickets are available to the public at this time.

"We're extremely grateful for the compassion and generosity of these artists who wished to create a very special event where our students, faculty and staff can come together to celebrate the spirit and resiliency of our university community as we begin a new academic year," said Virginia Tech president Charles Steger in a statement. Last spring, many members of the music community were quick to react to the tragedy via song. Jin's "Rain Rain Go Away" went up on the Web almost immediately, R. Kelly wrote tribute ballad "Rise Up" and Lil Flip, whose MySpace includes a video for his Virginia Tech track, sampled Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time."

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Song Stories

“1999”

Prince | 1982

“I don’t consider myself a great poet,” Prince told Rolling Stone. “I just know I’m here to say what’s on my mind.” In the case of the apocalyptic party anthem “1999,” he was worried about then-president Ronald Reagan’s foreign policies. The song’s melody is based on a riff borrowed from the Mamas and Papas’ “Monday, Monday,” and Prince originally envisioned the first verse with three-part harmony but later split the vocals between himself and members of the Revolution. Because Warner Bros., with whom Prince was locked in a contractual battle, owned the original’s masters, Prince rerecorded the song and appropriately released that version in 1999.

More Song Stories entries »

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