The Roots' Philly Fourth of July Jam to be broadcast nationally on VH1
Welcome America! goes national.
The Roots' Philly Fourth of July Jam to be broadcast nationally on VH1
Dan DeLuca, Inquirer Music Critic
When I interviewed Mayor Michael Nutter last year in the run-up to the Made In America festival, the music-loving chief executive talked about how he hoped the Jay-Z and Budweiser-presented MIA could work in tandem as a tourist draw with the city's annual July 4 celebration on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
That mega-concert, in which The Roots - whose Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson and Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter are pictured geeking out with the Mayor in 2011 - are featured performers and the backing band for a host of other acts, drew over half a million people last year, qualifying it, as the Mayor likes to say, as "the biggest free outdoor concert in America."
Part of the plan to raise the profile of what's now being branded as the Philly Fourth of July Jam is to send the message aound the country and world that, as Nutter says, "Philadelphia is the place to come and celebrate the 4th of July" has been to procure a deal with a broadcasting partner and get the show on TV nationwide. That way, it can compete with the Boston Pops, who are shown on CBS, and the Washington D.C. fireworks show, which airs annually on PBS.
That deal has been done, it was announced this afternoon, with an arrangement in which the Philly Jam will be shown on cable channel VH1 as well as hi-def musical channel Palladia. This year's show will also be available to be streamed on VH1.com. Like Made in America, the 4th of July show is produced by Live Nation.
Shawn Gee, who's part of the Roots management team, said in a press release: “While we are proud of our 500,000 person strong audience, it’s only right that the world gets to see the Largest Free Concert in America, even if from the comfort of home."
The good news about this for Philadelphia is that with the addition of a national audience, the quality of the talent pool is likely to get richer at the Independence Day celebration, which has brought in Darryl Hall, Lauryn Hill, Sheryl Crow, the Goo Goo Dolls and Sara Barielles in recent years.
No names other than The Roots have been made known yet for this year's show. Look for an announcement in the spring. Below, Hall and Queen Latifah with The Roots from last year's show.
Previously: Stuck Inside of Eutope with the Copyright Blues Again Follow In The Mix on Twitter
Wow, moretea4me, you're really too ignorant to live. On the Fourth of July, Americans celebrate independence and freedom. But that's obviously a concept way over your hollow head.— thewiseone- Quite a few items not fact checked in this article. This Billboard one is accurate: http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/tv-film/philly-fourth-of-july-jam-partners-with-1008076562.story— PeanutPeanut
- Nice......great for the city!— Earl J
- cool. but does the city get any cash for this? just curious. VH1 will profit.— Tyrone Biggums
- The benefit for us is a better perception of the city = increased tourist dollars. Seeing it on tv makes people want to come take part. I guarantee that the attendance of the show goes up this year and, in turn, the tax dollars we receive from retail spending during the day of the event and the week leading up to it.
What's really great about this is that with VH1 having a stake in this, they're going to really try and push for a better show to increase ratings. I like this move. - All the racism, all the violence, all the hate--LIVE on national TV. Way to go Nutty. God forbid Philly should use all those white tax dollars to pay for an event white people might actually feel safe at.
Thinks where actually scary on the Parkway last year. I felt sorry for people who took children to see the fireworks and had to wait till 10PM listening to some of the worst 'music' in America. At least the sound system was just as bad so you couldn't hear the 'lyrics'— InquiringMindz - Hey moretea4me:
Then leave the country; move overseas if you despise it here so much. You have the freedom to go elsewhere. Do it. Quickly, please--your stench is unbearable.— thewiseone - we've had several rap acts in a row and with the roots being there that is going to continue. they used to swamp every other year- rock artist one year, r&b artist the next. bring Tom Petty back or another quality american rock band. these new artists are for shite.
- Why are we now stuck with The Roots year after year? They dominate the whole show. And that's not a good thing.— Larry Brown
- I think it's outrageous that the City of Philadelphia is using tax payer dollars to have The Roots, whom support Mumia abu Jamal the convicted killer of Philadelphia Police Officer Danny Faulkner. http://www.danielfaulkner.com/docs/SupportersofMumiaAbu-Jamal.pdf— kkep
- Aquarium Drunkard
- Arts & Letters Daily
- Bag Of Songs
- Beer Leaguer
- Blender
- Brooklyn Vegan
- Daytrotter
- Deadspin
- Fluxblog
- Free Darko
- Glorious Noise
- I Am Fuel, You Are Friends
- Joe Sixpack
- Large Hearted Boy
- Little Steven's Underground Garage
- Magnet
- Metacritic
- Mojo
- Monitor Mix
- My Old Kentucky Blog
- Nick Hornby
- Passion Of The Weiss
