As board member Neil Young rails against patented GMO crop seeds, Farm Aid will hold its 30th anniversary concert to raise funds to help the American family farmer on September 19th at the FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island in downtown Chicago. Among the rock acts on the bill are Young, fellow board members John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, Imagine Dragons and Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real (who backed Young on his new album and recent tour). Of course Lukas’ dad Willie Nelson will perform as always alongside country artists like Kacey Musgraves, Old Crow Medicine Show and Holly Williams plus gospel music goddess Mavis Staples and psychedelic experimentalists Insects vs. Robots.
The all-day event will feature Farm Aid’s HOMEGROWN Concessions®, the first-of-its-kind model for featuring family farm-identified, local and organic foods at major concert events, and is introducing its own app for iPhone and Android devices.
Update (9/15): Set times
- 12:50 – Blackwood Quartet
- 1:10 – Ian Mellencamp
- 1:35 – Insects vs Robots
- 2:00 – Holly Williams
- 2:30 – Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
- 3:00 – Old Crow Medicine Show
- 3:40 – Jamey Johnson
- 4:20 – Kacey Musgraves
- 5:05 – Jack Johnson
- 5:55 – Mavis Staples
- 6:45 – Imagine Dragons
- 7:45 – Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds
- 8:45 – John Mellencamp
- 9:45 – Neil Young
- 10:45 – Willie Nelson
Update (9/17): Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp performed a smokin’ version of Willie’s “Night Life” on Late Show With Stephen Colbert last night. Enjoy!
