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<\/a><\/p>\nFarm Aid 30 started with farmers, advocates, activists joining the Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews on the Farm Aid stage. Monica Eng, WBEZ agriculture correspondent, moderated the presentation asking the farmers, advocates, activists and artists what they have done and how that is making a difference today.<\/p>\n
Willie Nelson, president and founder, stated, \u201cFarm Aid called on America to stand up for the family farmers. They showed up then, and they\u2019re still showing up. All different types of people are coming together for family farmers, and we\u2019re making a difference.\u201d John Mellencamp dismissed his question from Monica to talk about what he wanted. John thanked the board members, artists, farmers, advocates, activists for all the work that they have done, the changes that have been made and that this work must continue. Neil Young discussed the issues with Monsanto, GMOs, big box stores and what needs to be done to correct those issues. Dave Matthews affirmed Neil\u2019s statements adding that corporate farms are enslaving farmers and we need to assist new farmers who are starting\u00a0their own farms.<\/p>\n
Along with informational and educational video presentations, the farmers, advocates, activists shared their own stories and experiences for what they have done to inspire action and influence policy changes. Even though there has been big changes since Farm Aid started in 1985, the family farmers are still experiencing the same corporate influences and policies as before. Every one acknowledged that this work must continue, to protect the earth, our food and put the power back into the hands of the family farmers.<\/p>\n
Farm Aid\u2019s HOMEGROWN Village<\/h4>\n
Located behind the seating area of the venue was the HOMEGROWN Village where concertgoers were able to experience hands on activities. Several artists gave presentations to discuss some of the issues facing the family farmers today. The HOMEGROWN Skills Tent featured workshops that discussed beekeeping ,cheese making and composting. Students from the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences sold local fruit and bakery in the HOMEGROWN Youthmarket. Family farmers were able to sell their produce and food at the Farm Aid HOMEGROWN Concessions. These concessions promoted zero waste as trash was separted into landfill waste, recyclables and compostables. All compostable waste will be turn into material that can be reused to help the health of farming soil.<\/p>\n
The Concert<\/h4>\n
1:10 p.m. \u2013 Ian Mellencamp<\/strong><\/p>\n During his set, Ian proclaimed, \u201cIt is a thrill for me to play at my first Farm Aid\u201d. The electronica style artist played a couple of his own tunes and did an awesome psychedelic cover of Steve Miller\u2019s \u201cFly like an Eagle.\u201d I enjoyed his short set and would have liked if he was given more time so I could hear more of his experimental rock style.<\/p>\n 1:35 p.m. \u2013 Insects vs Robots<\/strong><\/p>\n This year marks the third year in a row that Insects vs Robots have played Farm Aid. The band, led by Willie\u2019s son Micah, drifted from their usual psychedelic punk sound to play more a electrified set. They still captivated the crowd even with the lack of unusual instruments such as the charango, kazoo, harmonium, and sitar that they usually play during their songs.<\/p>\n 2:00 p.m. \u2013 Holly Williams<\/strong><\/p>\n The granddaughter of Hank Williams, Sr. and the daughter of Hank Williams, Jr., Holly Williams made her first appearance at Farm Aid. A majority of her set consisted of songs from her most recent album, The Highway<\/em>. The audience was very receptive to her closing song, “Waitin’ on June,\u201d which tells the story of her grandparent’s life together until the end.<\/p>\n 3:00 p.m. \u2013 Old Crow Medicine Show<\/strong><\/p>\n The Old Crow Medicine Show brought the festival atmosphere to the stage with their highly energetic set. Starting with “Brushy Mountain Conjugal Trailer,” they kept energy going with “Alabama High Test,”\u00a0 <\/span>as well as “8 Dogs 8 Banjos\u201d. The Old Crows also had surprise guests such as David Amram join them for “I Hear Them All\u201d, \u201cThis Land Is Your Land\u201d and “Wagon Wheel.\u201d Mickey Raphael played harmonica on “City of New Orleans” which is a cover of the late, great Chicago songwriter Steve Goodman.<\/p>\n For The Old Crow Medicine Show photo gallery, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n 4:20 p.m. \u2013 Kacey Musgraves<\/strong><\/p>\n For her second Farm Aid appearance, Kacey came out dressed in a frilly, fluffy blue prom dress. This was appropriate as her set consisted of majority of material from her latest album Pageant Material. Kacey got the crowd stomping with her country version of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin\u201d to close out her set.<\/p>\n For The Kacey Musgraves\u00a0photo gallery, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n 5:05 p.m. \u2013 Jack Johnson<\/strong><\/p>\n This year marks the third Farm Aid appearance for Jack Johnson. The crowd was dancing along to his folk rock hits “Taylor,” “Bubble Toes”\/”Not Fade Away,\u201d “Banana Pancakes” and “Flake.\u201d He ended his his song with a new song that he wrote the night before called \u201cWillie Got Me Stoned and Stole All My Money.\u201d<\/p>\n For The Jack Johnson\u00a0photo gallery, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n 5:55 p.m. \u2013 Mavis Staples<\/strong><\/p>\n Chicago\u2019s own gospel\/soul great Mavis Staples made her first Farm Aid appearance. Mavis gave the crowd songs from her entire career, Staple Singers\u2019 gospel days, the Stax days as well as new material. Her classic songs “Freedom Highway” and I\u2019ll Take You There” really got the crowd grooving.<\/p>\n For The Mavis Staples photo gallery, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n 6:45 p.m. \u2013 Imagine Dragons<\/strong><\/p>\n Making their Farm Aid debut, Imagine Dragons started their pop rock party with \u201cIt\u2019s Time\u201d and then going into \u201cShots\u201d. They surprisingly did a cover of Tom Petty’s “I Wont Back Down\u201d which turned into a crowd sing along. This was an appropriate tribute as Tom Petty played at the first Farm Aid. Their high energy set included \u201cI\u2019m So Sorry\u201d, \u201cGold\u201d and \u201cOn Top of the World.\u201d A heavily percussion infused \u201cRadoactive\u201d ended their set with the crowd wanting more.<\/p>\n For The Imagine Dragons photo gallery, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n 7:45 p.m. \u2013 Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds<\/strong><\/p>\n Dave Matthews performed an acoustic set of his material with his musical partner, Tim Reynolds. His set consisted of favorites \u201cWhat Would You Say,\u201d \u201cSatellite\u201d and \u201cThe Space Between.\u201d What was a little bit of a distraction during Dave\u2019s set was his banter about a spider building a web on his face. Besides the weird stage banter, the guitar dueling between Matthews and Reynolds made songs like\u00a0“So Damn Lucky” and the closer, \u201cCrush\u201d more awesome.<\/p>\n For The Dave Matthews photo gallery, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n 8:45 p.m. \u2013 John Mellencamp<\/strong><\/p>\n John Mellencamp\u2019s set consisted of his hits which were appropriate for the Farm Aid cause. These included “Lawless Times,\u201d \u201cSmall Town\u201d, \u201cRain on the Scarecrow\u201d and \u201cPink Houses.\u201d Mellencamp did a nice cover of Robert Johnson\u2019s \u201cStones in my Passway.\u201d The projections of small towns and farms on the big screen behind the band added to the sentiment of his set.<\/p>\n For The John Mellencamp photo gallery, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n 9:45 p.m. \u2013 Neil Young and The Promise of the Real<\/strong><\/p>\n Neil took the stage with the Promise of Real, Lukas and Micah Nelson\u2019s band that collaborated with Neil on his latest release The Monsanto Years<\/em>. It contains songs which addresses the issues with Monsanto, Starbuck\u2019s, GMOs and big box stores. He opened his set with the protest songs \u201cWorkin\u2019 Man,\u201d \u201cA Rock Star Bucks a Coffee Shop\u201d and \u201cBig Box.\u201d He also debuted \u201cI Won\u2019t Quit\u201d later in the set which shows his ongoing support for the family farmer. A hugh surprise in the set was \u201cAlabama\u201d from his Harvest<\/em> album, a song that has not played live since the 70s. They also played two Crazy Horse songs “Western Hero” and “Love and Only Love\u201d in their ferociously fiery set.<\/p>\n For The Neil Young photo gallery, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n