Two Shows Planned For Hall of Fame Celebration
By Jeffrey Hyatt
It’s going to take two nights of great music and the music legends who play it to celebrate the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame‘s 25th anniversary.
The two-night music party will take place on October 29 and 30 at Madison Square Garden in New York; Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, U2, Stevie Wonder, Metallica and Eric Clapton are confirmed to perform.
To add to the buzz, rumors are swirling that Paul McCartney and The Eagles will also play. Nevertheless, more acts will be confirmed for the shows in the coming weeks.
The shows are being curated by Tom Hanks, Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner, director Cameron Crowe, The Band’s Robbie Robertson and others; the narrative of the event is to tell the history of rock and roll, with each of the artists and their special guests handling a different segment.
The artists will perform their own songs and the music that inspired them – this should no doubt run the gamut of music history, which should be quite exciting to witness.
“These once-in-a-lifetime concerts are designed to celebrate the artists and their music,” Wenner said in a statement.
The Oct. 29 concert will feature Springsteen, Simon and Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Friends, and Stevie Wonder. The Oct. 30 concert will include U2, Franklin, Metallica and Eric Clapton.
All of the above-mentioned performers are each members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - a special collection of artists who become eligible for induction 25 years after their first release.
The celebration will also be filmed for an upcoming HBO special featuring a four-hour program of highlights and all proceeds will go towards creating a permanent endowment for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Museum.
The museum’s anniversary celebration will extend beyond the concerts, with both a book and a deluxe DVD set to be released this fall. Collins Design will publish The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The First 25 Years, chronicling 25 years of induction ceremonies in September.
Tickets will go on sale through ticketmaster.com at 9 a.m. on Monday.
