“A Call to Action” is now available for your viewing pleasure online at iClips.
http://www.iclips.net/acta.php
The documentary which tells the story of HeadCount’s mission to register voters, as well as the mission of other non-profits involved in the music community, is the perfect way for someone to get a better idea of what we are all about.
One of the great aspects to HeadCount is that it was born out of a community that already existed, outside of the status-quo political realm. The live-music community has provided family for thousands of people and the artists have always represented the heads of those families. “A Call to Action” displays how much the artists really do care about what HeadCount is doing, and how important it is for the music community to have their voice be heard.
HeadCount has also allowed artists to help a cause they believe in, voting, without having to endorse a certain candidate or party. It can be a hard situation for musicians to mix politics into their art. They want to keep their music as pure as possible, and endorsing a candidate on stage can sometimes corrupt a show in the eyes of a band, or its fans. My favorite moment of the documentary is when Trey Anastasio is being interviewed and he says “I’m not the most political person, as a musician I’ve always tried to steer clear of directly speaking politically, because a lot of the times, I think politics divide, and music brings people together…I still vote, I just don’t talk about to who I vote for.” I think this quote basically sums up the vast amount of artist support that HeadCount has. Our musicians believe in political activity, and civic engagement. They believe in the spirit of music and the community, and they believe in their fans. They know that once the fans are active, they will make the right choice on their own, and there is no need for them to say which candidate they should vote for, all they need to do is vote.
On a related note, the documentary is being screened tomorrow night, April 16th, in Asheville, North Carolina a theatre called Cinnebarre. It will also screen at the Bonnaroo Music Festival this summer in Tennessee and at the Fine Arts Theatre in Asheville in September.
The screening at Cinnebare made the cover of the Asheville Citizen Times Arts section and the article can be found online here…
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880411089
Check out the documentary at iClips, read the article, and let me know what you think. This documentary is extremely important to HeadCount and we hope it has a successful effect in getting more people involved. It will also be available in hard-copy form free of charge at concerts and festivals where HeadCount is present this summer.