Wilco Hosts Headcount's "Vote The Environment" Campaign At US Tour Stops

New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Shore Fire Media) With the Presidential election approaching fast, the Chicago-based rock band Wilco has turned their concerts into a call for democratic participation by hosting the non-partisan voter registration organization HeadCount and Patagonia Inc.'s "Vote the Environment" campaign at nearly every U.S tour stop.

On Wilco's upcoming tour, which begins in Chicago on Sept. 15th and ends in Los Angeles on Sept. 30th, HeadCount and Patagonia will set up side-by-side booths at each concert. Anyone in attendance at these concerts will have the chance to register to vote. Anyone will also be able to remind their elected officials that environmental issues help determine how they vote.

In support of these efforts, Wilco also donated an exclusive version of their song "Whole Love" - the title track from their Grammy-nominated album The Whole Love - with all proceeds from download of this song benefitting HeadCount and its nationwide voter registration campaign. (Track can be downloaded at: https://bit.ly/LH70bE). Patagonia also produced a special edition Wilco/Vote the Environment t-shirt, with a portion of proceeds benefitting HeadCount (T-shirts can be ordered at: https://bit.ly/KE0HdV).

"Given the current state of American politics," notes Jeff Tweedy, Wilco's lead singer, "it's easy to see why people become disillusioned and don't participate. But my hope, and my reason for this partnership, is to remind people that they do have a voice, and voting is an effective and undeniable way to be heard. And nature, while powerful, needs our voices and votes to protect and preserve it."

At the HeadCount booth, concert-goers can register to vote for the first time or update their existing registration. They can also get information on voter ID laws in their particular state, sign a "Pledge to Vote," or volunteer to register voters at other area concerts.

Next door, Patagonia hosts a photo booth where fans can hold up a personalized sign noting why they vote the environment. They can also get information provided by League of Conservation Voters regarding their elected officials' voting records.

This all coincides with a Twitter campaign around the hashtag #becauseilove. Fans are encouraged to Tweet messages and images that complete the sentence "I vote the environment because I love ..." in order to personalize the environmental issues at stake in this election. The #becauseilove Tweets are then displayed in real-time on video screens at Wilco shows, in Patagonia retail stores across the country and online at Patagonia.com.

"People protect what they love," says Patagonia's founder and owner Yvon Chouinard, "It's time to hold our candidates accountable to environmental issues: if you care about clean air and water, how do the candidates on the national, state and local levels measure up on those topics? Get informed before casting your vote."

Wilco US Tour Dates:
9/15 - Hideout Block Party - Chicago, IL
9/16 - Live on Ninth Street - Columbia, MO
9/19 - Tucson Convention Center Music Hall - Tucson, AZ
9/21 - Greek Theater - Berkeley, CA
9/23 - Grand Sierra Theater - Reno, NV
9/25 - Britt Pavilion - Jacksonville, OR
9/26 - Cascade Theater - Redding, CA
9/28 - McCallum Theater for the Performing Arts - Palm Desert, CA
9/30 - Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, CA

About HeadCount:
HeadCount is a non-partisan grassroots organization that uses the power of music to register voters and raise social consciousness. Since 2004, HeadCount has staged voter registration drives at over 2,000 concerts and signed up over 175,000 voters. Headcount reaches young music fans where they already are - at concerts and online - to inform and empower.