Friday, August 16, 2013

MEDIA ADVISORY: Mad Ripple Hootenanny at MN State Capitol, 8/19/13...will perform in solidarity with Wisconsin State Capitol protesters



MEDIA ADVISORY
Mad Ripple Hootenanny
Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda
Monday, August 19, 2013 – Noon to 2:00 p.m.


WHAT:
In recent months, more than 150 people have been arrested for singing in the Wisconsin State Capitol rotunda. There, citizen-protests against state Gov. Scott Walker’s “war on workers,” which includes a sing-a-long every weekday at noon, have gone on since 2011.

In a show of solidarity with the citizen-activists in Wisconsin, the Mad Ripple Hootenanny (Hoot), a Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter collective, will perform in the Minnesota State Capitol rotunda on Monday, August 19, from noon to 2:00 p.m., to demonstrate Minnesota's commitment to First Amendment rights to peaceably assemble and the power of song to call out injustice, unite, bring peace, heal, and affect social change.

"In February 2011, I spent a day in the Wisconsin State Capitol for a story for Minnpost.com, two weeks after the Walker protests started… it was unforgettable. The commitment and passion the protesters had for workers' rights was intense and inspiring. I sang a couple of tunes in the rotunda that day,” said Jim Walsh, Minneapolis-based musician, author, journalist, and Hoot founder.
                             
“When I heard that police were handcuffing and arresting those same brave people for, of all things, singing, and remembering what I witnessed and felt that day in Wisconsin, I had to do something. The Hoot will be a symbolic gesture of solidarity between two sister states, singing for two hours in the spirit of peace, love, understanding, and, yes, real outrage.”

WHEN & WHERE:
Monday, August 19, 2013 – Noon to 2:00 p.m.
Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda

WHO:
The Mad Ripple Hootenanny (Hoot) is a Minneapolis-based, rotating singer/songwriter collective launched in 2007. Founded by musician, author and journalist, Jim Walsh, the Hoot has been fueled by the songs of hundreds of national and local singer-songwriters, including Billy Bragg, Ike Reilly, Tom Morello, Dan Wilson, Elvis Perkins, Tim O'Reagan, Slim Dunlap, Molly Maher, Dan Israel, Dana Thompson, Larry Long, Erik Koskinen,
Jesse Greene, Gary Louris, Marc Perlman, Janey Winterbauer, Terry Walsh, Stook!,
Frankie Lee, Brianna Lane, John Swardson, Martin Devaney, Katy Vernon,
Luke Zimmerman, and many others. The Hoot has performed regularly in Minnesota and across the country. This will be the Hoot's first performance at the Minnesota State Capitol.

CONTACT:
Jim Walsh at madripple@earthlink.net and 612.701.3895. More at jimwalshmpls.com.

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