Article Library

Earth Day 1990—The Concert rolled around to Merriweather Post Pavilion on April 21 with groups such as 10,000 Maniacs, Indigo Girls, Bruce Hornsby and the Range, and Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers donating their time to the effort to save the environment.

The concert provided some intense music which served as more than mere entertainment. Music with a message was the theme, and the eight-hour celebration had more than its share of both.

Comedian Joel Hodgson opened the show as the official emcee. Hodgson came on during the set changes to bring a little humor to the sold-out crowd which was estimated at 15,000 plus.

The early acts included Graffitiman, Billy Bragg, the Jungle Brothers, and Michelle Shocked, who flew in especially for the concert from Chicago, where she was to perform that evening.

Crack the Sky, local favorites from Baltimore were next, opening up with a blistering set of rock and roll Pink Floyd style, playing cuts from their recent album, “From the Greenhouse.”

After a set change, the Indigo Girls provided an acoustic set filled with gut wrenching tunes such as, “World Falls” and Carolina Aiken’s “White House Blues.” The best part of the set however, was when special guest Michael Stipe, the lead singer of R.E.M., came out to join Amy Ray and Emily Saliers on songs such as, “Summertime” by George Gershwin and Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower.”

Stipe also sang a haunting version of “Hairshirt,” backed up by Ray and Saliers on guitar, and backup on the emotional “Kid Fears,” where Ray and Stipe crooned, “Are you on fire,” echoing the fears of millions who are concerned about the environment.

After the Indigo Girls, KRS-One and Boogie Down Productions went through a set of environmental rape, followed by The Fabulous Thunderbirds, who blew away the crowd with such favorites as “Wrap It Up,” “Powerful Stuff,” and the gritty “Tuff Enuff” that had concertgoers dancing in the aisles.

Williamsburg resident Bruce Hornsby was up next and with his band, “The Range,” delivered a powerful set that included, “Look Out Any Window,” “The Way It Is,” and “Barren Ground,” a new song that preached about environmental devastation.

The highlight of the show came when Billy Bragg was joined onstage by Peter Buck of R.E.M., along with bandmate Michael Stipe, and Natalie Merchant of 10,000 Maniacs.

The four sang R.E.M.’s “Exhuming McCarthy” and an incredible version of “Fall On Me.” Stipe’s crisp vocals shot through the surprised crowd and Natalie Merchant sang backup, their voices blending in a unique harmony that had concertgoers flabbergasted.

Stipe also had a message saying, “It’s up to us as citizens, as individuals, as artists. We have to stand up and say the individual can make a difference.” He also added, “We need to address the problems that need to be addressed, and tell our governments, our industries, that it’s time for a change.”

The best set of the day came from Natalie Merchant and 10,000 Maniacs, who were intense in going through such songs as, “What’s The Matter Here,” “Dust Bowl Days,” “City of Angels,” and the crowd favorite, “Trouble Me.” Merchant’s vocals were beautifully deep and her unique sound captured the audience.

Before the end of the set, Merchant was joined onstage by Stipe, who seemed to be everywhere, popping in and out of other people’s sets. Stipe backed up Merchant on John Prine’s anthem, “Hello In There.” He was also seen roaming around the stage as Merchant sang, “About The Weather” [sic] and “Jack Kerouac,” adding in some vocals whenever he felt it necessary.

The final act of the evening was Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, who brought the house to their feet with songs like, “Tomorrow People,” “Look Who’s Dancing” and the final number of the night, his father Bob Marley’s timeless anthem, “Get Up Stand Up (Stand Up For Your Rights).” Marley was joined onstage by Stipe, Merchant, KRS-One, Billy Bragg, and Bruce Hornsby, who backed Marley up with a keyboard solo. Bragg and KRS-One took turns at the mic, playing with the lyrics to give the song a brand-new meaning. Ziggy closed out the show in strong fashion, sounding incredibly like his father for this final tribute.

All in all, the day was filled with great music, music with a message that painfully reminded the world that the environment is in danger. The artists brought a new awareness to people about the fate of the world in which we live and suggested that we all “band together” to save the earth.

Rapper KRS-One said it best saying, “Change comes from the people. We come from the Earth; the Earth does not come from us. Therefore, the Earth will survive without us, but we cannot survive without the Earth.”