BY JOSE MARTINEZ

Putting his money wear his mouth is, billionaire, and Virgin Group founder, Sir Richard Branson hosted his annual Virgin Mobile FreeFest concert this weekend in Columbia, Maryland.

A philanthropist at heart, Branson's concert, now in its fourth year, gave away 35,000 tickets gratis, and donated over 300 tickets to volunteers across the country, bussing in people who volunteered at least 13 hours of community service. East coast do-gooders in Philadelphia, New York and Boston were given free roundtrip bus transportation, while several Southern California volunteers were flown in courtesy of Virgin America's FreeFest Express.

Volunteers and invited guests experienced first class treatment as everyone onboard was given a free PlayStation Portable handheld game console equipped with Rock Band Unplugged to take home, and enjoyed in-flight wi-fi, VeeV Acai "Free-tini" cocktails, complimentary food and drinks, and bag-check without weight restrictions.

Oh, if only flying the friendly skies could always be this great!

With good weather, very important at all-day, outdoor concerts, the lineup this year included Blink-182, Weezer, Franz Ferdinand, The Bravery, Public Enemy, Jet, Taking Back Sunday, The National, among several others.

Virgin frequent fliers and Southern California volunteers Joanne Coghill and Keith Lee each believe in giving back and aptly represented the show's core message.

Coghill, who volunteered 13 hours on her birthday putting together dental packets (toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss) for homeless kids on behalf of Stand Up for Kids, a national organization of volunteers in 43 cities doing street outreach with youths and runaways, is also a regular volunteer for Junior League of Los Angeles, an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism.

"My passion in life is giving back," Coghill noted during her outgoing flight. "When I see that I'm affecting someone out in the community, I get teary-eyed."

A human resources professional, Coghill was excited to see Franz Ferdinand, and Girl Talk, but was most anxious to meet with Sir Richard Branson. "I'm very humbled to just be in the same room with him and if I can meet him and thank him for this great opportunity, that would be incredible."

Keith Lee, a 23-year-old Pasadena resident, is also no stranger to activism having logged in over 1,000 hours of community service for AmeriCorps and Harambee Ministries, a  Christian organization that works with families and youths in Pasadena.

Lee, who believes "every little act of kindness helps and goes a long way," also volunteered for Stand Up for Kids; organizing an e-drive, collecting socks, underwear, and hygiene products from across the country.

"I believe there are a lot of needs in our community, so where there's a need I try to go in and do something. I thought this was a good way to get involved."

To his credit, he admits to not being familiar with many bands on the bill and was almost going to turn down his prize. "I wasn't going to accept the trip just because I didn't really know any of the artists performing at FreeFest, but I like flying Virgin America so just flying was a nice experience. But going to FreeFest and getting to meet like-minded people and learning more about different organizations was an excellent time."

No longer a multi-day concert, this year FreeFest was moved to the Merriweather Post Pavilion, a wide open venue with awful site lines. For anyone not under the canopy's pavilion seated section, and unfortunate enough to watch from the lawn, actually seeing any of the bands onstage was next to impossible.

Taking Back Sunday and Australia's Jet delivered solid performances getting the day off to a rousing start. But things really picked up when old school hip-hop legends Public Enemy took the West Stage by storm. Note to concert organizers, you really should have put the rap icons on the main stage just out of general principle. 

Chuck D and Flava Flav, now a superstar on his own thanks to his "Flava Of Love" reality show) still seem as vital as ever and the packed audience relished every second of their blistering performance. Afterwards, PE founder Chuck D commented on the show's activism slanted nature.

"Activism is something that has gone alongside music for the longest period of time, it just depends on what we want to pay attention to. But you do need some kind of power-broker or financier like Richard Branson to come to the table and do something worthwhile. It means a lot to us knowing the legacy of what this is about with people trying to do the right thing."

Onstage railing against California's border policy and other current state of affairs, Chuck D looms just as big a figure today as when mainstream media and music fans were shaky about the group's militant bravado back in the day.

"People were afraid of different viewpoints. They definitely didn't want it from a whole bunch of black male faces with brains in their heads coming at the same time. We're fortunate in this day and age in 2009, going on 2010, that a hip-hop band that started during the Reagan and Bush administration in the middle of the ‘80s has some relevancy not just in the sights and sounds but in the meaning. We always felt that music, art and culture have a great chance of bringing human beings together and governments are diametrically opposed to that."

For Sam Endicott, frontman of New York's The Bravery, FreeFest was a sort of homecoming for the singer who grew up in the Washington, DC suburb of Bethesda, Maryland.         

"I grew up here and would see shows [at Merriweather Post Pavilion], so for me it's a hometown show," the singer noted before his band's inspiring set.

Playing new songs from its upcoming release this November (new tunes included "Hatefuck," "Jack-O-Lantern," "Red Hands, White Knuckles" and "She's Bendable"), the band's new tracks are reminiscent to songs from its 2005 buzz-worthy debut.

"Maybe a little spacey, a little darker, definitely an energetic, party record," is how Endicott describes the band's still untitled new record.

With Sir Richard Branson sitting nearby backstage in the friendly confines of the artist lounge (even though all media was warned not to talk to him or photograph him...Blurt opted to turn a bit of a blind eye), Endicott couldn't help reflecting on the good nature of the concert.

"I think any time that you have a big concert for free, it's a very cool thing. Tickets to something like this would be so expensive that many kids could not go to it, even for people who are really big fans. Also, you get a wide range of people and bring them together. And any time you're doing that I think it's a really positive thing."

Much to my surprise Weezer offered a knockout performance that had the capacity crowd enraptured from the get-go. Nerd rock at its glory is how I look at Weezer, but River Cuomo proved to be a very engaging performer and the band, all dressed in matching red and black Star Trek looking uniforms, KILLED! I forgot just how many alternative radio hits they have. Hands down they probably delivered the best set of the day.

Blink-182 had fans wondering if they would even perform after the untimely death of Travis Barker friend DJ AM a day earlier in New York City. In fact, the band did cancel its Saratoga, NY concert scheduled for Monday night. But they came out fired up and played hit after hit. Not necessarily my favorite band I had to leave more than midway through their set to make my way to the West Stage to catch Franz Ferdinand. 

The Scottish buzz band, fresh from a stint supporting Green Day, put the perfect cap on the day. Their infectious, dance music had a huge crowd who opted not to go for Blink-182's pop-punk fare grooving the night away.

Although not a destination-must festival like Lollapalooza or Coachella, FreeFest felt more like a local radio station-sponsored concert that every city has during the summer. Trapped in a venue 20 minutes from Baltimore, there was nowhere worth wondering around to like in Chicago where a vibrant city stood right outside the concert grounds.

Flying back home to Los Angeles reflecting on the weekend trip, I met Alison Hurst, Director of the Venice program for Stand Up for Kids, who was appreciative for the volunteers who gave of their time. She mentioned "fresh pair of socks are like gold" for kids living on the streets. It seems like giving fans a free concert to volunteer their time and actually help and make someone else's life better is a pretty grand idea. Activism as the new form of concert currency, I'm not sure that notion will ever really take off as bands need to make a living but it's one way to get people involved.

Text FREEFEST to 20222 to donate $5 to youth homeless centers. Remember to reply YES to the confirmation message to process your donation.

[Photos by Matt Stein (P.E.) and Jose Martinez]

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