Free song from Chris Stamey and Yo La Tengo

Honoring the election of Barack Obama, Yep Roc Records and Chris Stamey have decided to release the song "V.O.T.E.," from Stamey's 2004 LP with Yo La Tengo, A Question of Temperature. The half-minute noise-pop PSA plays like "Schoolhouse Rock" facing its amps, reminding the populace to exercise its civil duty through a haze of blazing guitar. Voting never sounded so fun.

Download the track here.

More free political concerts

Merge Records, following the success of this spring's Superchunk/Arcade Fire double bills for Obama, has decided to help organize two more events for the Obama campaign. The shows will center on driving early voters to the polls, by luring them with the promise of live sets from acts including The dB's, Superchunk (acoustic, no less), The Reigning Sound, Tift Merritt, Portastatic, Bowerbirds, Megafaun, I Was Totally Destroying It, Greg Humphreys, Ivan Howard of The Rosebuds, etc...

Details, as per a Merge press release, are as follows:

With help from the Obama Campaign and a bunch of great North Carolina musicians, we've set up two concerts to promote voting and more specfically voting EARLY to help turn NC blue for Barack Obama.

NC ROCKS FOR CHANGE free concerts during the last week of EARLY VOTING in NC!

Asheville, NC

10/28 @ The Grey Eagle

Bands start at 8pm

The Reigning Sound

Tift Merritt

Chris Stamey (dBs)

Portastatic

Greg Humphreys (Hobex)

Electric Owls (ex Comas)

TICKETS FREE!

Pick them up when you vote this week outside UNC-Asheville's Zeis Hall, which is by the Quad at 1 University Heights. Tickets will be handed out beginning at 10 am on Thursday, October 23rd, and will remain there during voting hours until they are all given away- so from 10-6, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday.

*** AND ***

Chapel Hill, NC

11/1 @ Graham Terrace at UNC

(Adjacent to the Morehead Planetarium Early Voting Site)

VOTE on the LAST DAY OF EARLY VOTING!

9 AM until 1 PM

Enjoy Coffee, Doughnuts and Rock while you vote!

The dBs

Superchunk (acoustic)

Ivan Rosebud

Megafaun

I Was Totally Destroying It

Bowerbirds

Greg Humphreys

Regina Hexaphone

Portastatic

Check www.NCForChange.com for updates and information.

UPDATE: Add BILLY BRAGG to the Chapel Hill show. Holy shit. (So says Raleigh News & Observer music critic David Menconi)

James Taylor shows and ticket distribution announced

By now you've probably heard that Grammy-winning singer/songwriter James Taylor is putting on five free shows in North Carolina in support of the Obama campaign. What you might not know is the where and when of all this.

Recently announced details--which are listed below--should remedy the situation.

Sunday, October 19th

Charlotte Concert for Change
Ovens Auditorium
2700 E. Independence Avenue
Doors Open 1:30pm

Charlotte Ticket Distribution Locations

South County Regional Library
5801 Rea Road
Friday Oct.17th
11am-7pm

Plaza Midwood Regional Library
1623 Central Avenue
Friday Oct.17th
11am-7pm

University City Library
301 E. W.T. Harris Boulevard
Friday Oct.17th
11am-7pm

Sunday October 19th

Asheville Concert for Change
Martin Luther King Park
50 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Doors Open 6:30pm

Asheville Ticket Distribution Locations:

UNC Asheville, Zeis Building
1 University Heights
Friday Oct.17th and Saturday Oct.18th
10am-6pm

West Asheville Library
942 Haywood Road
Friday Oct.17th and Saturday Oct.18th
10am-6pm

Asheville Senior Opportunity Center
36 Grove Street
Friday Oct.17th and Saturday Oct.18th
10am-6pm

Monday, October 20th

Chapel Hill Concert for Change
Fetzer Field – behind Carmichael Auditorium on South Road
UNC Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill NC
Doors Open 5:00 PM

Chapel Hill Ticket Distribution Locations

UNC Chapel Hill Planetarium
250 E. Franklin Street
Friday Oct.17th, Saturday Oct.18th, and Monday Oct.20th
9am-4pm

Carrboro Town Commons
301 W. Main Street
Carrboro, NC
Friday Oct.17th, Saturday Oct.18th, and Monday Oct.20th
9am-4pm

Orange County Public Library
300 W. Tryon Street
Hillsboro, NC
Friday Oct.17th, Saturday Oct.18th, and Monday Oct.20th
9am-4pm

Tuesday, October 21nd

Raleigh Concert for Change
Moore Square
200 South Blount Street
Raleigh NC
Doors Open 11:30 AM

Raleigh Ticket Distribution Locations

Raleigh for Change HQ
130 E. Morgan Street
Raleigh, NC
Friday, Oct. 17th, Saturday Oct.18th and Monday Oct. 20th
9am-6pm

Boleyn Heights for Change HQ
600 St. Mary’s Street
Raleigh, NC
Friday, Oct. 17th, Saturday Oct.18th and Monday Oct.20th
9am-6pm

Galaxy Theater
770 Cary Towne Boulevard
Cary, NC
12pm-6pm on Friday, Oct.17th, Sunday Oct.19th and Monday Oct.20th
9am-6pm on Saturday, Oct.18th

Tuesday, October 21st

Wilmington Event Location
Greenfield Lake Ampitheater
Third Street & Park Street
Wilmington NC
Doors Open 5:00 PM

Wilmington Ticket Distribution

In Government Center Plaza- Patio of Sombrero Azul
127 S College St
Wilmington, NC
Friday, Oct.17th and Monday Oct. 20th
2pm-5pm