NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York concert promoter has mounted an online campaign to "draft" Bruce Springsteen to headline a rock 'n roll show to upstage the Republican National Convention, but the rock icon appears to be uninterested.
The "Concert for Change," would be held on Sept. 1 at Giants Stadium, across the Hudson River from the Republicans' meeting at Madison Square Garden, said promoter and Democratic activist Andrew Rasiej, who has reserved the date at Springsteen's New Jersey home venue.
"This is a simple idea that captures the imagination of Americans opposed to George Bush," Rasiej told Reuters about hopes of staging an anti-Bush rock show the night Republicans nominate the incumbent to run for another term as president.
Springsteen's publicist, however, told Reuters the music star does not plan to perform at any events tied to the Democratic or Republican conventions.
An online petition at
www.draftbruce.com has been signed by about 50,000 people in 10 days since it was launched, Rasiej said, adding he had also reached out to acts such as REM, The Dave Matthews Band, Bob Dylan and Carlos Santana.
"When it gets to half a million or so I would formally try to deliver the petition to Bruce's people directly," he said on Monday.
