In these times of political darkness and ambiguity, some of rock and hip-hop’s best musicians have had enough. Joining together under the banner of the “Tell Us The Truth Tour,” a collection of artists is barnstorming across the country this month, capping off the tour in Miami, where they will join the protest against the Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement, which is to be signed there.
The tour includes radical English folk-rocker Billy Bragg, soul luminary Lester Chambers, Boots Riley (MC from radical hip-hoppers The Coup), and Tom Morello, the guitar genius behind Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave (appearing as “The Nightwatchman”).
The tour kicked off in Madison this weekend as part of the National Conference On Media Reform.
Opening with Laura Nyro’s “Save The Country” and continuing into the soul classic “People Get Ready,” the ensemble immediately set the tone for the event. The entire evening had a decidedly radical flavor and Lester Chambers’ spotlight, which was the first solo set of the night, saw the Chambers Brothers legend reworking classic blues and soul lyrics to fit the politicized occasion.
Backed by Bragg and all-purpose bassist Michael Holden, Chambers displayed a surprisingly strong vocal intensity after all these years, aided by touches of supple harmonica. After Chambers’ section, “The Nightwatchman” took the stage, introduced by Bragg as “one of my new friends,” with no mention of the more famous identity of the mysterious man dressed all in black.
Morello’s was certainly the most surprising portion of the evening in terms of its musical direction, and it also provided some of its most compelling sounds. Solo acoustic balladry, with Dylan-esque minor-key chords and image-driven lyrics, has not necessarily been Morello’s stock and trade before this latest incarnation of his restless spirit, and the songs were not without their awkward moments. But overall the songs performed by “The Nightwatchman” were a subtle and hypnotic blend of folk-metal. Morello’s voice is a sweet baritone (something like early Leonard Cohen), and his fiery rhetoric and signature guitar style were on display throughout his performance.
Morello, Chambers, and Michael B. Holden provided backup for Boots Riley, a last-minute addition to the tour. Riley’s performance wowed even the most unsuspecting members of an audience that was anything but uniform in their feelings towards hip-hop. Opening with an a capella slam before moving into an astonishingly effective small band arrangement (for which Morello has always been perfectly suited), Riley had the crowd rocking with his signature songs “5 Million Ways To Kill A C.E.O” and “Wear Clean Drawers.”
Following Riley was a solo performance by Billy Bragg, who brandished both his electric and acoustic guitars and his impassioned pleas for “politics of compassion and accountability” with the fervor which he has directed his entire career. This was his kind of audience more than any of the other artists and he did not disappoint.
The entire ensemble regrouped on stage for a reprise of “People Get Ready,” this time with rap interludes from Riley and interpolations of classic, and surprising songs like “Tupelo Honey,” “Girl From The North Country,” and “Let’s Get It On.”
Returning to the stage to boisterous cheers, the ensemble rocked through the Chambers Brothers anthem “Time Has Come Today,” on which Bragg, Morello, and Holden chanted and churned behind Chambers’ soul screams and Riley’s rhyme inferno. The musicians and crowd, led by conference leader John Nichols, exited chanting, “Tell us the truth!” Hopefully, the message won’t be dimmed in the future.
On the second night of the conference, where the music followed a brilliant selection of speakers that climaxed with Studs Terkel, Bill Moyers, and Al Franken, the group provided an abbreviated version of the previous night’s concert. Two surprises lay in store on this second go-round: Tom Morello played a dark and brooding version of the union anthem “Joe Hill,” and FCC commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, who has helped spearhead attempts to stop increased media consolidation, joined “People Get Ready” on harmonica. The sight of a member of the federal government jamming with Billy Bragg and Tom Morello was something to behold indeed.
The tour is now set to mosey across the country, picking up artists and converts along the way. Future performers include Steve Earle, Jill Sobule, Mike Mills, and Janeane Garofalo.
As these passionate musicians leave Madison to spread the gospel of rock and hip-hop politics, they leave a fighting and hopeful spirit in their wake.
