Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Celebrates 25 Years with Two October Concerts in New York City – Eric Clapton To Appear
22 Jul 09
On Wednesday July 22, 2009, Jann Wenner (Founder of Rolling Stone and Chairman, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation) hosted a morning press conference in New York City. Held at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex in Soho, it was to announce two concerts on October 29th and 30th at Madison Square Garden to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Performing on the 29th will be Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Simon & Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder. On October 30th, Eric Clapton will be performing along with Aretha Franklin, Metallica and U2. The shows will be packed with guest stars and unique collaborations designed to tell the story of rock and roll. American Express Cardmembers have access to advance tickets starting 9 a.m. on Monday, July 27th. Tickets will be on sale to the general public beginning Monday, August 3rd at 9 a.m.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a non-profit organization that exists to educate visitors, fans and scholars from around the world about the history and continuing significance of rock and roll music. The main museum is located in Cleveland, Ohio. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex opened in New York City in December 2008. All proceeds raised from the concerts will go towards creating a permanent endowment for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Museum.
The Rock and Roll of Fame Foundation and Museum’s 25th anniversary celebration will also extend beyond the concerts, with both a book and a deluxe nine-DVD boxed set of highlights from past induction ceremonies to be released this year.
***TICKET INFORMATION***
According to thegarden.com, ticket prices for the two concerts range from $79.50 to $2,504.50.
According to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s dedicated site for the event – rockhall25.com – special VIP Benefit Packages priced from $750 to $5,000 will be available from ticketmaster.com. Additionally, the Hall of Fame site indicates that it is offering once-in-a-lifetime VIP benefit packages priced from $25,000 to $100,000 via rockhall@eventassociatesinc.com. Additional details regarding the American Express Pre-Sale are also noted on rockhall25.com: "American Express Cardmembers can get advance tickets to The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts at Madison Square Garden on October 29 & 30 beginning Monday, July 27 at 9 a.m. EST through Sunday, August 2 at 9 p.m. EST. Preferred seating available to Gold Card, Platinum Card and Centurion members. For tickets call 800-745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com. Should any tickets remain they will be available to the public beginning Monday, August 3 at 9 a.m. EST."
Information is not yet available on ticketmaster.com for these shows; on-sale information sometimes does not appear on their site until 24 hours prior to the announced on-sale start time. Fans are encouraged to check these websites and ticketmaster.com as the on-sale time approaches for additional information, seating charts and detailed ticket price information.
Related websites:
Madison Square Garden / Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts Page
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Official 25th Anniversary Concert Website
Ticketmaster Home Page
The official press release issued by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame reads as follows:
THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME CELEBRATES ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY
WITH TWO GROUNDBREAKING CONCERTS
U2, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Simon & Garfunkel, Metallica, Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills Nash & Friends and Eric Clapton along with Special Guests Set to Perform in Concert at Madison Square Garden
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 22, 2009: Music’s biggest stars – Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, U2, Paul Simon, Metallica, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends, Simon and Garfunkel – will come together on October 29th and 30th at Madison Square Garden for two unique concerts celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The shows, presented by American Express, will be packed with guest stars and unique collaborations designed to tell the story of rock and roll. American Express® Cardmembers have access to advance tickets through ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000 starting 9 a.m. on Monday, July 27th. Additional sponsorship support for the event is being provided by Bacardi.
Each night will feature entirely different line-ups, with artists performing their own songs and the music that inspired them –tracing the history of genres ranging from soul to hard rock. All proceeds raised will go towards creating a permanent endowment for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Museum. “Twenty-five years ago a group led by legendary Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun created this foundation to recognize and celebrate the music and careers of artists whose music helped shape and define our generation,” said Jann Wenner, Founder and Chairman of Rolling Stone and Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “These once-in-a-lifetime concerts are designed to celebrate the artists and their music.”
A creative team of Tom Hanks and his producing partner Gary Goetzman, Wenner, singer-songwriter Robbie Robertson, Academy Award®-winning screenwriter, director Cameron Crowe and several others will work with the artists to curate the show through the live performances and filmed segments. Joel Gallen, the producer/director behind the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies and the MTV Movie Awards (1995-2006), will direct the show and oversee the 25th Anniversary Celebration along with the creative consultants.
This event is being presented in conjunction with the American Express Concert Series. American Express offers Cardmembers the exclusive opportunity to purchase advanced tickets to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation 25th Anniversary Celebration, prior to public. Tickets will be available for purchase with an American Express Card through ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000, from 9 a.m. Monday, July 27th, through Sunday, August 2nd at 9 p.m. Tickets will be on sale to the general public beginning Monday, August 3rd at 9 a.m.
The Rock and Roll of Fame Foundation and Museum’s anniversary celebration will also extend beyond the concerts, with both a book and a deluxe DVD set to be released this fall. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The First 25 Years, chronicling 25 years of induction ceremonies, will be published by Collins Design (an imprint of HarperCollins) in September. In August, Time Life will issue a nine-DVD boxed set of highlights of the past induction ceremonies, featuring speeches and all-star performances, many that have never before seen by the public.
Performing on October 29th will be:
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Simon & Garfunkel
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends
Paul Simon
Stevie Wonder
Performing on October 30th will be:
Eric Clapton
Aretha Franklin
Metallica
U2
About the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Museum: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was established 25 years ago by legendary record executive Ahmet Ertegun and a group of music business executives to honor the artists that have defined rock and roll and have inspired and continue to inspire a generation. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is the nonprofit organization that exists to educate visitors, fans and scholars from around the world about the history and continuing significance of rock and roll music. It carries out this mission both through its operation of a world-class museum designed by I.M. Pei in Cleveland, Ohio that collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets this art form and through its library and archives as well as educational programs.
About American Express: American Express offers a variety of year-round offers and premium benefits, including early-on-sale access to a variety of sporting, music, theater and arts events; unique ticket packages; a Digital Event Package; preferred seating at select venues and gifts with purchase – all designed to enhance the entertainment experience for Cardmembers. At americanexpress.com/entertainment, Cardmembers have access to special savings and offers and can even use Membership Rewards® points to purchase tickets to see their favorite shows.
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