Who needs fireworks or hotdogs? If you’re going to celebrate what’s truly great in America, it’s got to be a free show and indie rock. At least, that’s how 4th of July is going to go down at New York’s Battery Park with its “River to River Festival.”
Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band is headlining the free event with Jenny Lewis opening, Ground Control Touring, the agency representing both artists, confirmed to Pollstar.
Music blog Brooklynvegan.com wrote that, “This year this event is not ticketed, but space is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.”
Sonic Youth and The Feelies rang in Independence Day in 2008. Before that was The New Pornographers and Midlake in 2007, Belle & Sebastian and Martha Wainwright in 2006 and Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, Yo La Tengo and Laura Cantrell in 2005.
In other Conor Oberst & free stuff news, today he and his band are releasing its documentary “One of My Kind.”
The documentary was made by the Mystic Valley Band’s guitar-tech Phil Schaffart and presented by Causecast. The 60-minute video features footage from Tepoztlan, Mexico, where the guys recorded their first album, 2008’s Conor Oberst. There’s also scenes from the band’s 2008 international tour and the making of the band’s upcoming album in El Paso, Texas.
Outer South is set for release May 5 on Merge records.
The film is available as a free stream or HD download on Causecast.org, IFC.com, conoroberst.com, mergerecords.com, and wichita-recordings.com.
Rather than paying for the documentary, Conor and co are asking that fans make a donation to one of the many nonprofits or causes on Causecast. The organizations include the Breast Cancer Fund, Global Green USA, Peta2, Jewish World Watch and Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.
Fans can also download an mp3 of the tune “Nikorette” from Outer South for free here.
For more info, check out ConorOberst.com by clicking here.