April 20, 2009, BURBANK, CA — On April 30th, singer/songwriter Jason Reeves will gather his friends and fellow musicians Brendan James and Amber Rubarth and embark on The Vespa Experiment, a two-week tour of the California coastline during which they hope to raise awareness about global warming. The three artists will leave behind the concrete jungle of Los Angeles and ride Vespas up the Coast with just the basics: camping gear, musical instruments, and a vision: to inspire young people to consider their impact on their environment.
“It seems like back in the late 60s and early 70s, people turned to folk singers and songwriters for inspiration and answers to difficult questions,” Reeves says. “We were very motivated by that idea and hope to influence a new generation to become more environmentally aware as they grow up and take command of their future.”
To that end, the artists have linked up with Greenpeace, who have come on board as a partner to help deliver their message. Greenpeace volunteers will be present at events to engage attendees and urge people to take action to protect the natural beauty of the West from the devastating impacts of global warming. It is critical that Californians act now to protect the state’s beautiful forests, coastal areas and farmlands.
Attendees will take action at the concert by signing a giant postcard banner, writing letters, and making phone calls to local Representatives, urging them to be bold in their support for global warming solutions in Congress this year.
The artists chose Vespas to focus attention on the positive and immediate environmental impact of scooters as personal transportation. “If the 69% of Americans who own two or more cars would just switch one set of four wheels for two, the reduction in fuel consumption, emissions, congestion and cost would be significant – not years from now, but right now,” said Paolo Timoni, President and CEO, Piaggio Group Americas. “Even if Americans were to switch just 10% of their total mileage to scooters, they would consume 14 – 18 million gallons less fuel per day and carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by 324 million pounds per day.”
As Reeves, James and Rubarth travel north, they will be accompanied by a photographer and film crew, who will document their journey as they perform at clubs, park amphitheaters, mountaintops, and campgrounds along their route; engaging with fans and leading discussions about the environment, and even leading songwriting sessions with community activists and kids from local schools. The footage and photographs will be edited into webisodes to be posted on each of the artists’ websites and at www.myspace.com/TheVespaExperiment enabling fans to follow the artists’ adventures as they unfold and communicate with their peers about what they are seeing.
The Vespa Experiment tour dates are as follows:
4/30 Carlsbad, CA, The Museum of Making Music**
5/1 Costa Mesa, CA, Sutra Lounge
5/2 Hermosa Beach, CA, Saint Rocke
5/3 Los Angeles, CA, Roxy
5/5 Ventura, CA, The Lodge at Zoey’s
5/7 San Luis Obispo, CA, Downtown Brew
5/10 Monterey, CA, Monterey Live
5/12 San Francisco, CA, Café Du Nord
** Jason Reeves & Brendan James only
More Performances & Special Events TBA.
For latest updates, please visit www.myspace.com/TheVespaExperiment.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Jason Reeves is a 23-year-old Iowa City native who was signed to Warner Bros. Records last summer by Senior Vice President of A&R and current American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi. He has been touring in support of his debut album, The Magnificent Adventures of Heartache (and Other Frightening Tales), which was re-released in late 2008 after selling briskly as an independent. iTunes named Reeves one of the Top Indie Singer-Songwriters of 2007. Music fans may also know Reeves through his songwriting collaborations with breakthrough singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat. Reeves co-wrote 10 tracks on Caillat’s platinum debut album Coco, including the smash hit singles “Bubbly” and “Realize.” www.myspace.com/jasonreeves
Decca/Velour recording artist, Brendan James continues to build his fan base with the same old school aesthetic that successful musical forbearers have done before him – one room at a time. He toured aggressively throughout 2008 in support of his debut album-The Day is Brave- crisscrossing the country passing through 40 states, to connect with fans. In television appearances along the way in New York, Chicago, Dallas and Philadelphia among others, Newsweek tipped him as a ‘Must Hear’ (“stunning”), Entertainment Weekly chose him as a songwriter on the rise and Page Six Magazine dubbed him their “It” guy. Perez Hilton exclaims: “We love Brendan James!” Most recently Brendan performed aboard the Mayercraft Carrier as direct support for John Mayer and spent some time across the pond in London recording his sophomore effort to be released in late 2009. http://www.myspace.com/brendanjames
Take the timelessness of Patsy Cline. Mix in the insatiable curiosity of Socrates. Give it an edge, a roughness, refined in the spirit but raw in the performance, like someone singing in the shower. You’ll start to have an idea of what makes up Amber Rubarth. TOM WAITS helped choose “Washing Day” (co-written with Adam Levy of Norah Jones’ Band) as first place in lyric writing in the International Songwriting Competition. Hollywood’s music magazine MUSIC CONNECTION made her one of their Hot 100 Artists. Owl Magazine named Amber’s debut CD one of the TOP 10 ALBUMS OF THE YEAR (alongside Kanye West & Alicia Keys). NPR loves her “honesty and humor.” And her songs have generated over 1.3 million songs on my space. Brooklyn based Amber Rubarth is now touring throughout the U.S. and Europe in support of her new CD “New Green Lines.” She plans to release another full-length album this fall. www.myspace.com/amberrubarth
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