WE ARE TRYING SOMETHING NEW FOR THIS SONG SWAP! In recognition of International Workers Day, which takes place just two days after this event, we are asking that artists participating in this Song and Poetry Swap directly relate their song or poem to a specific organization or specific struggle that is advancing the interests and power of the working class.
Free Livestream
TUNE INTO THE LIVE BROADCAST via YOUTUBE
Thursday, April 29, 7:00 - 9:00 PM (ET)
LYRICS: http://bit.ly/2021-04-29-pre-Mayday
PERFORMER LIST:
1. 7.06 PM (ET) - Occupella – "Dignity" www.occupella.org
2. 7.12 PM (ET) - Tayo Aluko – "When the Gas is Gone" (www.tayoalukoandfriends.com) highlighting the movement to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal: www.freemumia.com
3. 7.18 PM (ET) - Colleen Kattau – "Labor Day has a pagan pedigree" (www.colleenkattau.com) highlighting the Industrial Workers of the World: www.iww.org
4. 7.24 PM (ET) - Nancy Schimmel – "A Horse with a Union Label"
5. 7.30 PM (ET) - Steve Suffet – "Levons-Nous (English version)" (www.stevesuffet.com) highlighting the Canadian union, UNIFOR: www.unifor.org/en
6. 7.36 PM (ET) - Saro Lynch-Thomason – "Song of Myself" https://sarolyncht.bandcamp.com/
7. 7.42 PM (ET) - Ryc Ward – "A Living Wage! (short version)" (www.rycward.com) highlighting the need for a living wage: www.ethicaltrade.org
8. 7.48 PM (ET) - Pat Lamanna – "Rich White Amazon" (www.patlamanna.com/) highlighting the struggle of Amazon employees in Bessemer, AL to join a union: www.rwdsu.info/rwdsu_files_nlrb_election_objections
9. 7.54 PM (ET) - JoAnne Spies – "Snow in Paradise" (www.movingsound.org) highlighting the the struggle for rights of women workers in the garment industry: www.cleanclothes.org
10. 8.00 PM (ET) - Paul McKenna – "Blood On Their Hands" www.paulmckennamusic.com highlighting the movement for worker health and safety.
11. 8.06 PM (ET) - Cleo Carol Knopf – "Ludlow Massacre" (www.youtube.com/channel/UCXnfeLzbONikL3Nl_hLEQPQ) highlighting the 1913-1914 Colorado Coal Strike: www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ludlow-massacre
12. 8.12 PM (ET) - Jendog Lonewolf – "Talking Union"
13. 8.18 PM (ET) - Left Coast Labour Chorus – "Bella Ciao (Pipeline)" (www.leftcoastlabourchorus.com/) highlighting the struggle against expanded oil pipelines through Indigenous Lands: www.unistoten.camp/no-pipelines/background-of-the-campaign/
14. 8.24 PM (ET) - Jenny Amanda Hurwitz – "Jobs For All (or) Who's Essential Now?"
15. 8.30 PM (ET) - Michael & Nell – "Boss Called A Meeting" (www.michaelandnell.com) highlighting the organization, Worker’s Dignity in Nashville, TN: www.workersdignity.org
16. 8.36 PM (ET) - Mike Glick – "Where Do We Go From Here" www.generations-music.com highlighting the Democratic Socialists of America.
17. 8.42 PM (ET) - Ben Grosscup – "Our Patients Lie Under the Covers" (www.youtube.com/c/BenGrosscup) highlighting the Strike of Massachusetts Nurses Association members at St. Vincent's Hospital in Worcester, MA: www.massnurses.org/news-and-events/p/openItem/12021
18. 8.48 PM (ET) - Aaron Fowler – "Rise As One" www.aaronfowler.org
WAITLIST:
W1. (ET) - Hank Stone – "Leaving Paumanok" www.thesouthcountrystringband.com
W2. (ET) - Mary McCaffrey – ""All the Weary Mothers" by Joan Baez"
HOW THIS WORKS
Members of the People's Music Network, especially new members, and invited artists may use the registration form on this page to sign up to share a song or a poem during this online event OR to be part of the audience. Registered performers and audience members receive an e-mail message containing the Zoom Meeting link. Registering as a performer does not automatically mean you'll be included in the final performance line up, but it is the first step (See below, "How we Select the Performers"). Although we do encourage live performance, a pre-recorded video with a live introduction is acceptable.
The content of the online swap will also be livestreamed free of charge via the PMN Facebook Page AND the PMN Youtube Channel.
Registration Deadline: Sunday, April 25 at 8:00 PM (ET)
You may register for this event after the deadline and you'll be added to the wait list.
The order of performance will be released not later than the morning of Wednesday, April 28.
THE TOPIC
In this video conference event, PMN members are invited to come together and share songs or poems on the theme of working people's struggles and victories, past and present. Examples include: fighting for dignity and respect for essential workers, acknowledging the suffering of unemployed and undocumented workers facing economic displacement, honoring fallen comrades, commemorating historic events in working class struggle, and reaching across oceans and borders in solidarity. We invite you to share songs that help sustain the dream of equality and justice for all.
LYRICS: (posted the day before the event)
PERFORMER LIST: (posted the day before the event)
ELIGIBILITY:
Performers in this swap must:
1) Be invited artists and/or PMN members in good standing.* 2) Register using the online form. 3) Have a computer with functioning video camera and microphone. * If you are not a PMN member, you may join here: https://www.peoplesmusic.org/join-PMN
1) Be invited artists and/or PMN members in good standing.*
2) Register using the online form.
3) Have a computer with functioning video camera and microphone.
* If you are not a PMN member, you may join here: https://www.peoplesmusic.org/join-PMN
HOW WE SELECT PERFORMERS
For this Song and Poetry Swap, the number one consideration is the relevance of the submission to the topic at hand.
In addition, we give priority to new PMN members and members who have not yet performed in a previous online event. Selection for the final performer list is not first-come first-served. We are more likely to include a complete and on-topic submission that we receive right before the deadline than to include an early submission that is incomplete or off-topic. PMN hosts song sharing events regularly. If we can't fit you in this time, anticipate more opportunities soon!
TECHNICAL ORIENTATION: Wednesday, April 28, 4:00-5:00 PM
Selected performers will receive an e-mail invitation to a technical orientation session at the time listed above by the morning of the same day. We will discuss and practice how to get the best sound when sharing music on Zoom. Each performer will have a chance to sing a verse of a song and then receive feedback on ways to improve the audio quality. While perfection is not expected, artists new to Zoom are strongly encouraged to attend the tech run through, because doing so will build your confidence in using these tools. The audio quality that listeners hear of your live performance depends on the equipment you have and how you use it. Find tips to improve audio quality here.
**Past and future Livestreams are available through the PMN Facebook Live Page: https://www.facebook.com/Peoples.Music.Network/live
Help Publicize!
Encourage your friends to tune into this online musical event for progressive culture: Share the event on Facebook!! https://www.facebook.com/events/529566571757892
©2017-2021 People's Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
