After marching together at the Democratic National Convention and playing together at both the DNC and the RNC, Boots Riley (the Coup) and Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, the Nightwatchman) are going on tour together. The famed guitarist and activist has tapped the incendiary political MC to be main support on his North American tour, beginning on November 1st in San Francisco.
On November 3rd, Riley and Morello will play a Get Out the Vote rally and concert in Seattle WA, alongside Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard and Mike McCready and other special guests. The show is part of a larger effort by all the artists involved to energize young voters in this historic election.
Following the three week tour with Morello, Boots will then play two shows with 10-time Grammy nominated Meshell Ndegeocello in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
A lifelong activist, raised, residing and educating in Oakland CA, Boots Riley will be the keynote speaker at the 2008 Practical Activism Conference at the University of California, Santa Cruz on October 25th. Riley’s work, which ranges from local issues in the Bay Area – such as his efforts alongside other human rights organizations to block California’s Proposition 21 — to international concerns – such as his participation the World Conference Against Racism – has set “an unprecedented standard of political organizing among hip hop artists” (College Nine and College Ten).
With titles such as Steal This Album, Kill My Landlord and Genocide & Juice, the Coup (founded in 1991 by Boots Riley and DJ Pam the Funkstress) has always been a vehicle for Riley’s outspoken political beliefs. The Coup are currently in the studio, recording the follow-up to their 2006 Epitaph debut Pick A Bigger Weapon.
Boots Riley on tour with Tom Morello:
11.01.08 – San Francisco, CA (The Fillmore)
11.02.08 – Portland, OR (Wonder Ballroom)
11.03.08 – Seattle, WA (Showbox Theatre)*
11.05.08 – Vancouver, BC (Commodore Ballroom)
11.07.08 – Salt Lake City, UT (The Depot)
11.08.08 – Aspen, CO (Belly Up Aspen)
11.08.08 – Boulder, CO (Fox Theater)
11.11.08 – Minneapolis, MN (Fine Line Music Café)
11.12.08 – Milwaukee, WI (Turner Hall Ballroom)
11.13.08 – Indianapolis, IN (The Vogue)
11.15.08 – Detroit, MI (Majestic Theater)
11.16.08 – Toronto, ONT (Opera House)
11.17.08 – Boston, MA (Middle East)
11.19.08 – Baltimore, MD (Sonar)
11.20.08 – Philadelphia, PA (Electric Factory)
11.21.08 – New York, NY (The Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza)
12.07.08 – San Francisco, CA (The Fillmore)**
12.08.08 – Los Angeles, CA (House of Blues)**
