In July 2008, organisers announced the final act for a two-day classic rock festival to be held in Cary, North Carolina. The event was billed as a benefit for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and for the John Entwistle Foundation. The archived page is marked as an event that has passed, so the following is a historical summary.
The headline announcement
The news release dated 24 July 2008 said that Jack Bruce, the Scottish-born bassist and singer best known from the band Cream, had agreed to play the final set of the festival. The organisers presented the choice as a tribute to John Entwistle, whom the release described as a friend and fellow great of the electric bass. The chairman of the benefit concert, Rick French, who was also a national trustee of the Rock Hall, said Bruce’s rare appearances made the booking special and that Entwistle had admired him greatly.
About Jack Bruce
The release recounted Bruce’s career. He was a member of Manfred Mann before co-founding Cream with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker in July 1966. Songs listed from that period include “Sunshine of Your Love”, “White Room” and “I Feel Free”. Cream reunited for a small number of concerts in 2005 and, according to the release, had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Some of the commercial claims in the release, such as comparisons of ticket takings with other acts, are promotional statements and are not repeated here.
Festival schedule
Friday, 19 September 2008, at Koka Booth Amphitheatre
– The winner of a national band search opened the evening.
– The White Sox All-Star Band, made up of current and former members of various well-known groups, performed an ensemble set.
– Dave Mason, a co-founder of Traffic and a 2004 Rock Hall inductee, closed the night.
Saturday, 20 September 2008
– An Emerging Artists showcase began in the early afternoon with Grand Society, followed by Parmalee, Supagroup and The Connells, then Arrogance, a North Carolina band co-founded by producer Don Dixon.
– The headliner portion opened with Jefferson Starship, featuring founders Marty Balin and Paul Kantner and guest keyboardist Tom Constanten.
– Dennis DeYoung, a founding member of Styx, performed music from that band’s catalogue.
– Members of the former John Entwistle Band appeared with Joe Lynn Turner, Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult and Mark Farner, formerly of Grand Funk Railroad, each performing hits from their groups.
– Jack Bruce then joined former John Entwistle Band members for a closing set of his own and Cream songs.
– An encore tribute to John Entwistle and the music of The Who followed, with several artists taking part.
Who benefited and who supported it
According to the release, proceeds were directed to the museum’s educational outreach and to the foundation’s programme of providing instruments and lessons to young people in need through public libraries. The concert was presented by the Town of Cary, with corporate sponsors including a bank, an airline and a financial group. The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau was named as a partner.
The venue
Koka Booth Amphitheatre sits among woodland next to Symphony Lake in Cary and is described as having room for several thousand guests. The page said that a Saturday ticket holder could also enter on the Friday evening, and that Friday seating was on the lawn only.
The foundation’s own position
The foundation restated its core aim: free music education and instruments for children who lack them, with disaster relief as a secondary effort. It said it joined other fundraising projects whenever it could because that was what John Entwistle would have done.
Context
For more on the people and programme behind the event, see the foundation overview, the biography and the Classic Rock Cares page. Prices, telephone numbers and contact names from the original notice have been omitted.