Farm Aid debuts in the West; concert tops goal of $1 million

By Patrick MacDonald
Seattle Times music critic

JAMES BRANAMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES Willie Nelson joined lead vocalist Heidi Newfield and the rest of the band Trick Pony for a performance of "Whiskey River" at Farm Aid, held yesterday at the White River Amphitheatre on the Muckleshoot Reservation in Auburn.

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Farm Aid, one of the largest and longest-running benefit concert events in America, played its first West Coast date yesterday at the White River Amphitheatre on the Muckleshoot Reservation in Auburn, and it was an unqualified success.

The all-day event, featuring some of the biggest names in country and rock music, achieved its goal of raising $1 million, and then some, for family farms.

All 20,000 tickets were sold for the event. A worldwide audience watched the show live via the Internet, on the charity's Web site, www.farmaid.org, with many paying for $10 "virtual tickets."

Country legend Willie Nelson, the founder/leader/guru of Farm Aid, was ever-present, appearing at press conferences, introducing acts onstage and performing with several of them, as well as playing his own headlining set.

In its 19th year, the prestigious event was a model of efficiency. There was little waiting time between the dozen acts, as each one's equipment and instruments were on movable platforms. When one act was finished, its platform was moved away and the next act's quickly brought in.

Speakers on agricultural issues, short Farm Aid videos and presentations of large donations — for example, Nelson accepting a check from Silk soy milk for $100,000, like at a Jerry Lewis telethon — took place between sets.

Reporters and photographers from around the country covered the event and gathered for a series of press conferences in a well-wired press room, on such topics as genetically engineered foods and mad-cow disease.

	JAMES BRANAMAN / THE SEATTLE TIMES Lucinda Williams was joined on stage yesterday by Steve Earle during Farm Aid at the White River Amphitheatre. The 20,000-capacity venue was sold out.

Mother Nature cooperated as the music began around 3 p.m. A slight drizzle stopped and the sun even peeked through now and then. Heavy clouds threatened all day, but the event remained mostly dry until darkness, when some rain fell.

Farm Aid came to the Northwest thanks to Dave Matthews, a Seattle resident and newest member of the charity's board, along with Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp, all of whom performed yesterday.

Matthews, accompanying himself on guitar, was in a buoyant mood (he confessed he'd had "a few whiskies"), but performed a set of mostly somber songs, including his meditation on death, "Grave Digger," a cover of Bob Dylan's "Oh, Sister," and several new ones, including "Butterfly," written for his young twin daughters.

Mellencamp and band featured "Rain on the Scarecrow," his powerful song about struggling farmers, as well as rock and blues songs, including his hits "Little Pink Houses" and "Paper and Fire."

"Country outlaw" Steve Earle, accompanying himself on guitar, mandolin and harmonica, performed gritty songs about the Civil War, religious strife in the Holy Land, and the Old West, along with angry comments about the war in Iraq.

Lucinda Williams' rich Southern drawl and battered straw cowboy hat made her seem right at home, and she and her band played eloquent, moving, sometimes energetic songs about rural life and troubled love.

Legendary rocker Jerry Lee Lewis had the crowd on its feet as he pounded on the piano during a short set of his classics, including "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and "Great Balls of Fire."

Other acts included country trio Trick Pony and funky drummer Tony Coleman, with Nelson joining both their sets, as well as Blue Merle, Kitty Jerry and Kate Voegele.

The show went on for more than eight hours. At press time, Young was about to take the stage, with Nelson to follow.

Patrick MacDonald: 206-464-2312, pmacdonald@seattletimes.com

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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