While Tuesday night's \Vote for Change"" concert featuring Dave Matthews Band, Ben Harper, Jurassic 5 and My Morning Jacket at the Kohl Center was widely known among UW-Madison students, fewer knew of the show's political nature and fewer still know exactly what their admission dollars are funding.
According to Eric Phillips, spokesperson for America Coming Together Wisconsin, all of last night's proceeds, as well as those from the entire ""Vote for Change"" tour, will go to fund ACT, a political action group dedicated to electing progressive candidates.
""We're just getting out the vote and telling people about the issues that are going on in this election,"" he said of the group's activities. Phillips added ACT does not specifically endorse any candidate or political party.
The 40-show, 10-day ""Vote for Change"" tour is a concert series presented by the MoveOn political action committee and is comprised of musicians with the shared desire of changing the direction in which the country is headed, according to the tour's Web site.
""The whole focus of this 'Vote for Change' tour is to emphasize the fact that we need a change in this country and the current administration isn't going to give us that change,"" said Megan Johnson ACT Wisconsin student program coordinator.
According to Phillips, artist participation for the tour was entirely voluntary.
""These artists came forward because of what they believe in,"" Phillips said. ""They volunteered to do these shows to take a stand for what's right in America and to energize and mobilize people in all these battleground states.""
UW-Madison sophomore Travis Klausmeier, who attended the concert, said before the show he was looking forward not only to the musical performances, but to the politics of the event.
""I originally [was interested] for the music but found and hopefully will find that the message that will be sent across to everybody there who is just going for the music will be more [along the lines of] political viewpoints,"" he said.
UW-Madison sophomore Jen Luecke, who considers herself a conservative, also went to the show and said that although she was going for the music, she would not turn a deaf ear to any political messages.
""I'm going to go and try to enjoy the music, and whatever [the artists] say politically about anything is just going to be interesting more than anything else,"" she said. ""I'm definitely going in with an open mind.\
