Well, I know that my last post was all about CC Chapman. Well, I went and actually looked at the lineup for the American Eagle New American Music Union music festival and guess what: Bob Dylan. The way I see it, no matter what you think about Dylan, he’s Dylan! Obviously, Bob Dylan is a genius and a majority-stakeholder in pop- and folk-music history. I was just on IM and I was talking about the gig and the guy I was talking to didn’t know much about Dylan and wasn’t really into his sound. I saw Dylan at the Meadowlands in NJ in the late 80s and I couldn’t understand a word he sang — no matter! Here’s my quote from the IM: “I mean, let’s say Jesus had a nasal whine, he is still Christ!” The same thing can be said about Bob Dylan. And, who else is visiting Pittsburgh in August? Bob Dylan and His Band, The Raconteurs, The Roots, Gnarls Barkley (of Crazy fame — and the man’s entire album is inspired), Spoon, The Black Keys, Tiny Masters of Today, NASA, Black Mountain, and The Duke Spirit. I will definitely make a detour en route to San Diego, that’s for sure.

I am a proud Homefry. CC Chapman is a visionary and a brilliant social media maven. He is also a friend of mine and a fine marketing professional. He actually made me jealous that I was not as SXSW and he makes the nicest Social Media News Releases in the business (none call it jealousy). Well, since I totally missed out the last time, at SXSW, I am keen to see whether I will be in the US — and close to Pittsburgh — so that I can make it to the American Eagle New American Music Union music festival. AE is the sexy-as-hell client of CC’s social media PR and marketing firm, The Advance Guard. Yes, I shouldn’t be pimping TAG, right, because they’re our competition, you might say, right? Well, that’s not how Social Media works! CC and I are not even frenemies, we’re mates. One’s responsibility is to be the guarantor of your friends’ success. Actually, August 8 and 9 might work for me because I need to be at a wedding in San Diego on August 16th, so I am sure I can come back early to make the The New American Music Union!

American Eagle Outfitters Announces Summer Music Festival Hosted by Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers.

New American Music Union™ Lineup Celebrates College Music by Featuring Legendary Artists
Bob Dylan and His Band, The Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkley, The Roots, Spoon and the Black Keys
with 15 of the Country’s Most Promising College Bands.

Read the full press release

May 15, 2008

News Facts

• American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE: AEO) today announced its plans for a two-day summer music festival in Pittsburgh, PA this August 8 and 9. The lineup includes some of today’s top artists on the main stage, as well as fifteen of the country’s best college bands on the second stage.
• Tickets go on sale Friday, May 16 at 10 a.m. EST via Livenation and TicketMaster. Student tickets are an affordable $25. General admission tickets are $49.50. The New American Music Union is produced in partnership with Live Nation.
• The college band performances will be judged by music industry influencers, journalists and fellow musicians. The winning college band will receive a full-day recording session in a top Los Angeles recording studio valued at $10,000. American Eagle will support the winning college band by promoting its recording on www.ae.com and in AE stores across the country.
• The New American Music Union will take place in Pittsburgh’s historic SouthSide Works, which was home to glass factories, steel and iron mills in the 1800s. Today, the area features an eclectic mix of residential neighborhoods, restaurants, shops and businesses, including the headquarters of American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. The Pittsburgh region is also home to more than 30 colleges and universities and more than 100,000 students.



View Larger Map

Main Stage Line-up

• Bob Dylan and His Band site
• The Raconteurs site
• The Roots site
• Gnarls Barkley site
• Spoon site
• The Black Keys site
• Tiny Masters of Today site
• NASA site
• Black Mountain site
• The Duke Spirit site
• (plus more to come)

All acts subject to change

Second Stage Line-up

• Bears – Kent State U – Kent, Ohio myspace
• The Company Kang – Whitman College – Walla Walla, WA myspace
• The Black Fortys – U of Southern Illinois – Carbondale, IL myspace
• The Depreciation Guild – NYU – NYC myspace
• The French Horn Rebellion – Northwestern U – Milwaukee, WI myspace
• Magic Bullets – College of San Mateo– Berkeley, CA myspace
• The Delicious – Indiana U – Bloomington, IN myspace
• Elizabethan Report – BYU – Provo, UT myspace
• Nothing Unexpected – Robert Morris U – Pitt, PA myspace
• The Royal Bangs – U of Tennessee – Knoxville, TN myspace
• The Steps – U of Texas – Austin, TX myspace
• Gospel Gossip – Carleton College – Northfield, MN myspace
• Math the Band – U of Mass Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA myspace
• Flying Machines – The New School – New York City, NY myspace
• My Dear Disco – U of Michigan – Ann Arbor, MI myspace

All acts subject to change

Quotes

Attributed to Anthony Kiedis, Red Hot Chili Peppers:

“If you could go to any concert in the world, what would it be? My experience tells me that concerts can be life changing. That is how I approached putting this lineup together. The thrill of seeing Bob Dylan next to The Raconteurs next to Gnarls Barkley next to The Roots is reason for us all to celebrate. Music is still the most inspiring creative force that I know of and this seemed like a prime opportunity to let it shine. Add to this the fact of a generously low ticket price and that it all takes place in the streets of Pittsburgh and we have the most rocking block party of the summer.”

Attributed to Kathy Savitt, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, American Eagle Outfitters:

“Music is a defining influence in our customers’ lives. We’re excited to offer AE customers the opportunity to see today’s best musicians—both professionals and college acts—at a price that’s unheard of for a summer festival of this caliber.”

About American Eagle Outfitters

American Eagle Outfitters designs, markets and sells its own brand of laidback, current clothing targeting 15 to 25 year-olds, providing high-quality merchandise at affordable prices. The original collection includes standards like jeans and graphic Ts as well as essentials like accessories, outerwear, footwear, basics and swimwear. American Eagle currently operates 868 stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and 75 AE stores in Canada. The American Eagle® brand also includes a Dormwear® collection, aerie™, which is available in 62 standalone stores, American Eagle stores and at aerie.com. 77E™, a new multi-channel entertainment platform, features original and user-generated content on ae.com, in AE stores, on television, and on Web sites such as Youtube, MySpace and Facebook. For more information, visit www.ae.com.

MARTIN + OSA™, a concept targeting 28 to 40 year-old women and men, offers Refined Casual™ clothing and accessories, designed to be valuable, irresistible, inspiring, authentic and adventurous. MARTIN + OSA currently operates 22 stores. For additional information and updates, visit www.martinandosa.com.

The company plans to launch a children’s apparel brand, 77kids by american eagle™, offering on-trend, high-quality clothing and accessories for kids age two to 10. The 77kids™ line will debut online at www.77kids.com during Fiscal 2008, with brick-and-mortar stores in the U.S. planned for 2010.

For more information about American Eagle Outfitters, please visit our website at www.ae.com

Multimedia

• New American Music Union Flickr Set

• American Eagle Outfitters’ Facebook Page

• American Eagle Outfitters’ Myspace Page

• http://del.icio.us/AEMusicFest

Contact Info

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.:

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