Junior Vasquez, DJ Craze, D:Fuse, others to Play Free Concert in DC on September 6th

Just months after the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) used a new federal law to shut down a political fundraiser in Billings, Montana, thousands of voters will gather in Washington, DC for a musical protest of the law and other sweeping legislation that Congress is now considering. The protest and free concert will occur within earshot of the US Capitol. It will feature a number of nationally and internationally known musicians, including Junior Vasquez — a former producer for Madonna. Similar protests have occurred in New York, Los Angeles, and other cities.

At the center of the growing controversy is the Illicit Anti-Drug Proliferation Act, a federal law more commonly known as the RAVE Act, which makes it easier for the federal government to punish business owners for the drug offenses of their customers. Civil libertarians warn that the law could send innocent business owners to jail. There is also concern that the government will use this unchecked power to target and shut down concerts and events at will. The legislation proved so controversial last year that two of its original co-sponsors took the rare step of withdrawing their support. Tens of thousands of voters urged Congress to reject it, but the bill’s sponsor attached it to an unrelated child abduction bill earlier this year and it was enacted into law.

Although the law is not even six months old, Congress is considering two bills that would give the federal government even greater power to shut down concerts and other events – the CLEAN-UP Act, which already has over 100 co-sponsors and could be voted on this year, and the Ecstasy Awareness Act, which was just introduced in July. The organizers of the September 6th concert hope that by educating and mobilizing the public, Congress will reject these bills.

What: Free Concert and Protest against the RAVE Act and other anti-rave legislation, sponsored by ROAR!, The National Dance and Music Rights Alliance

When: Saturday, September 6, noon-midnight

Where: Located @ the Upper Senate Park directly off Constitution Ave between New Jersey NW and Delaware Ave NE, directly North of the US Capitol Building Washington, DC

Who:

ARTISTS:

Junior Vasquez – Junior Vasquez Music – NYC (spinning at 6PM!)

DJ Craze – Six Time World Champion//The Allies//Cartel – Miami

D:Fuse – People:2 (2xCD) Out on System Recordings Now!

Jesse Saunders – King Street//Broken Records, Sony Music – Chicago, LA

Polywog – Just Say Agency// SisterSF – SF //From the Movie “Groove”

Reid Speed – Breakbeat Science//Direct Drive//NYC 2 Step – LA

The Zelch Brothers – Twin Prod.//Fused//412Groove.com – Pittsburgh

Apple Rochez – Odds and Ends//Lowdown//Natural Selection – DC

Proxxy – Instinctive Grooves//RaversOnly.com//M3 Productions – MD

Implicit – Electrolife – NC

Scott Henry – Ultra Records//Buzzlife – DC

Invited Speakers:

Dennis Kucinich – 2004 Presidential Candidate, US Representative

Douglas Rushkoff – Author of Ecstasy Club, NYU

Graham Boyd — American Civil Liberties Union

Shawn Heller — Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Sam “The Man” Burns – DJ Hut, DC House Legend

Amanda Huie – Buzzlife

Legba Carrefour — ROAR!, The National Dance and Music Rights Alliance

Keith Haas – 2AM Artist Management