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BenBurton

Member Since 23 Feb 2005
Offline Last Active Mar 01 2011 01:04 PM

Topics I've Started

Negotiations with Collins John ceased?

09 March 2010 - 11:57 PM

Chicago Fire negotiations with Collins John have broken down and 24-yr-old forward is planning to return to Europe, Insider has learned #mls

http://twitter.com/S...tus/10255818536

Eric Clapton Crossroads Festival returning to Toyota Park

10 February 2010 - 12:35 PM

Show: June 26th, Toyota Park.
Tickets go on sale February 20th.

Some people may want to go or at least know the date.

“I do it because I want to hear these players,” Eric Clapton says, during an exclusive interview announcing his third Crossroads Guitar Festival. The all-day stars-of-guitar show will be held on June 26th at Toyota Park in Chicago; tickets go on sale February 20th. Like his 2004 and 2007 Crossroads concerts and the best-selling DVDs from those festivals, this year’s event benefits the Crossroads Centre, the addiction-treatment facility founded by Clapton on the Caribbean island of Antigua in the early Nineties. “But it’s a selfish thing,” he admits delightedly. “I can go to one place and hear all of my favorite musicians in one day.”

Nearly 30 of those favorites are confirmed for the June 26th show, which will feature Clapton in a headlining set with his own band and, if previous festivals are any indication, jamming with many of his guests as well. Returning veterans of the first two Crossroads shows include Jeff Beck, Robert Cray, B.B. King, the great Rick Nelson and Elvis Presley sideman James Burton, Jimmie Vaughan, Sheryl Crow, Los Lobos, ZZ Top, Steve Winwood, gospel-steel phenomenon Robert Randolph and one of Clapton’s personal heroes, Louisiana slide-guitar ace Sonny Landreth. “He’s a giant to me — his thing is so perfect,” Clapton says of Landreth. “When we send the invites, he’s the first guy that always comes back, the next day: ‘I’m in, what do you want me to do? I’ll open the show.’ Absolutely no bones with that guy.”

Among the artists making their Crossroads debuts this year are the Allman Brothers Band, British folk-guitar master Bert Jansch, singer-guitarist Keb’ Mo’ and Brazilian bossa nova legend Joao Gilberto. “I wanted to open it up a little,” Clapton says of the bill, “so it’s not so much about virtuosity as roots.” Clapton is especially excited by the booking of the reclusive Gilberto, who rarely performs abroad. “The whole thing was an excuse for getting him out of Brazil,” Clapton confesses with a laugh. But, he adds, “a festival about guitar doesn’t have to be all heavy metal or all rock. It would probably surprise a lot of people who don’t play that someone like me or Derek Trucks [of the Allmans] can admire and enjoy someone like Gilberto.”

Clapton notes that the musical success and smooth production of the 2007 festival — a one-day event also held at Toyota Park, a relatively intimate soccer stadium just south of downtown Chicago — encouraged him to do Crossroads at least one more time. The 2004 concert was, in contrast, a two-day marathon, held at the enormous Cotton Bowl in Dallas. “I’ve convinced the business guys this is the last one,” Clapton says, grinning. “Because they’re the ones who have to deal with all of the unraveling — the agencies, managers and record companies. I’ve kind of said, ‘We’ll do three.’ I like three. I’m a ‘three’ guy.”

Asked what the Crossroads festivals have achieved in greater public awareness of his peers and influences and the art of guitar playing, Clapton modestly responds, “I have no idea.” But the guitarist contends that Crossroads is not a typical music festival in that “it comes from the heart of a musician. It’s not a business deal, and there is an enlightenment in that. People realize we really love what we do.

“And hopefully,” Clapton adds, “it gets better every time. That’s the deal.”


Full list of confirmed performers:

Albert Lee
Allman Brothers Band
BB King
Bert Jansch
Buddy Guy
David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos
Doyle Bramhall II
Earl Klugh
Eric Clapton
Gary Clark Jr.
Hubert Sumlin
James Burton
Jeff Beck
Jimmie Vaughan
Joao Gilberto
Joe Bonamassa
John Mayer
Keb Mo
Pino Daniele
Robert Cray
Robert Randolph
Sheryl Crow
Sonny Landreth
Steve Winwood
Vince Gill
ZZ Top

Allegedly

24 January 2010 - 03:19 AM

.

Frederico Fellini

04 January 2010 - 03:54 AM

I'm watching 81/2 for the first time in many years. I've forgotten the power and depth of Fellini's films. This one truly resonates through the soul.

In '93 or '94, I skipped the opportunity to go to his public wake. What a mistake. Some of his films are absolute brillance that almost no director has ever achieved. Art at the highest levels ever achieved in Italy or elsewhere.

I will be rewatching La Dolce Vita soon but for now I'm elated to be watching 81/2 again. I'm not sure a better film was ever produced.

EDIT: Thank you iPhone for replacing "Federico" with "Frederico". That makes all the difference on the world.

ISA Vote :: 5% to Charity

25 December 2009 - 01:44 AM

Over the past four years we've given roughly $17,000 to charity. On average that's been about 5% of our gross revenue each year. I've asked the board to vote to tie our annual charitable contributions to a percentage of our revenue.

We're growing at a great pace and if things continue at this pace within 5 years we'll be a million dollar a year organization. If we tie 5% of our revenue we'll be donating $50,000 a year. Awesome.

Charitable donations are essential to growing our base, supporting the club, and connecting the players, fans and the rest of the organization together.  Let's continue to motivate ourselves to keep charitable causes as a core function of what Fire supporters hold dear.