EXPERIENCE MUSIC PROJECT
June 23-25, 2000

EMP Unveils Star-studded Line-up For Grand Opening National Acts
Emerging Bands Converge on Seattle for Three-Day Music Celebration

SEATTLE - In what promises to be one of the most memorable events in American music history, Experience Music Project (EMP), Seattle's dynamic new interactive music museum, will bring together a dazzling array of artists in a series of blockbuster concerts for its weekend-long Grand Opening celebration June 23-25.

Metallica, Dr. Dre, No Doubt, Matchbox Twenty, Alanis Morissette, Eurythmics, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beck, James Brown and Bo Diddley are among the more than 40 artists already signed on to participate in an eclectic combination of free and ticketed concerts throughout EMP's Grand Opening celebration on the Seattle Center campus.

Although many events will be free of charge, the premier Grand Opening concerts will be ticketed. Starting today, EMP Charter Members will have first crack at purchasing concert tickets before they go on sale to the general public. Music fans who would like to buy tickets immediately are encouraged to become EMP Charter Members by calling TicketMaster at 206-292-ARTS. TicketMaster will sell all EMP Grand Opening tickets, and Charter Membership enrollment/concert ticket purchase may be completed in one transaction.

"EMP's Grand Opening Celebration reflects both the diversity and mission of EMP, and will serve as a memorable launch for this incredible project," explains EMP co-founder and executive director Jody Patton. "Inside and outside the museum, there'll be programs, concerts, activities and events designed to spark imagination, inspire creativity, educate the public, and let people of all ages experience the fun of music."

Detailed information about EMP Grand Opening festivities and EMP Charter Membership can be found at www.emplive.com. Music fans are encouraged to visit this web site often for the very latest information about Grand Opening or the museum itself. General information is also available by calling 206-770-2700.

Following is a preliminary line-up of live music shows:

Friday, June 23 Ticketed Shows
* Metallica; Dr. Dre with Eminem and Snoop Dogg; Kid Rock; Filter; Red Hot Chili Peppers
(6:00 p.m., Memorial Stadium, general admission $59.50)

* Rickie Lee Jones
(8:00 p.m., Bagley Wright Theatre, $25)

Friday, June 23 Free Shows
* Patti Smith; Dave Alvin & the Guilty Men; Christy McWilson
(4:00 p.m., Mural Amphitheatre)

* Junior Brown; Bob Mould; Pedro the Lion
(3:00 p.m., Flag Plaza)

Saturday, June 24 Ticketed Shows
* Eurythmics; Matchbox Twenty; Alanis Morissette; Beck; No Doubt
(6:00 p.m., Memorial Stadium, $40-$150)

* "DJ/Electronica Show" - To Be Announced
(9:00 p.m., Flag Pavilion, $10)

Saturday, June 24 Free Shows
* Taj Mahal & The Phantom Blues Band; Bo Diddley; Johnnie Johnson; Big Jay McNeely with The Palace of Culture; Thumbs Up Featuring Carol Kaye
(1:00 p.m., Mural Amphitheatre)

* "Bing Bang Boom" with Michael Shrieve, Airto, and Zakir Hussein; Imperial Teen; Maktub; Neko Case; IQU
(1:00 p.m., Flag Plaza)

Sunday, June 25 Ticketed Shows
* Screaming Trees; Ann and Nancy Wilson; Built to Spill; Fastbacks; NW All Stars; Subset; Sonics Tribute; Young Fresh Fellows; Queensryche; Rail; TKO; Scrap Metal (featuring members from Heart, Metal Church, Rail, Culprit, TKO, Forced Entry, Panic, Sanctuary)
(2:00 p.m.; Memorial Stadium, general admission, $15)

* James Brown; The JB's; Maceo Parker
(7:00 p.m., Key Arena, $25-$40)

* Bill Frisell's New Quartet with Brandon Ross and Kevin Breit; Larry Coryell
(8:00 p.m., Bagley Wright Theater, $15)

Sunday, June 25 Free Shows
* The Kingsmen, Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Fabulous Wailers; The with Jimmie Hanna; Ventures; Merrilee Rush; Jr.Cadillac
(1:00 p.m., Mural Amphitheatre)

* Cold Crush Bros.; Hovercraft; Murder City Devils; Bratmobile; Source of Labor
(3:30 p.m., Flag Plaza)

About Experience Music Project

Dedicated to exploring creativity and innovation in American popular music, EMP is a new kind of museum that strives to capture and reflect the essence of rock 'n' roll, its roots in jazz, soul, gospel, country and the blues, as well as rock music's influence on hip-hop, punk and other recent genres. A total sensory experience awaits visitors when doors officially open. Patrons will make their own music, see and learn about rare artifacts and memorabilia from EMP's collection of more than 80,000 items, explore various musical milestones within unique interpretive exhibits, feel the power of the creative force by listening to musicians tell their own stories, and discover the power and joy of music in all its forms. Founded by investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen, under the direction of co-founder Jody Patton and designed by architect Frank O. Gehry, the 140,000-square-foot multi-colored and "swoopy" museum rises up in the heart of Seattle and provides visitors a musical experience unparalleled anywhere in the world. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EMP is on the Web at emplive.com. EMP officially opens on June 23 and expects more than one million visitors during the course of its first year.