For the event, independent dealer Barry Appelbaum transformed his four-MPD location into the Rock N' Roll Exxon, and his parking lot became a stage backed by a brilliant silver tanker trunk. Ten locally based recording artists, such as Matt Duke, Nickelz and Whiskey Livin', [image-nocss] played for six hours. The artists were part of the so-called beta test for Music Is Our Oil (MIO), a concert and film tour that officially begins in June 2009.
The beta test, involving the concert and a free-gasoline giveaway at Appelbaum's location, was the first of many scheduled around the world. The events will feature some of America's greatest hip-hop and alternative-rock artists. The MIO performers will visit oil-producing nations and barter their music and other commodities for 20 million barrels of oil, which will be transferred into gas cards that will be distributed to needy families.
The daylong affair in the City of Brotherly Love was designed to announce MIO's strategic vision and prove the concept's viability. From here, the event is scheduled to visit cities in nine host destinations, including China, Russia and Venezuela, according to Mikal Kamil, CEO of Philadelphia-based 3Kingdoms Entertainment, who founded MIO.
"This is not the beginning and the end; this is just the start," he told CSP Daily News. "This is real change; we're not just talking about change."
Sharing the Exxon-branded store's parking lot at the MIO kickoff were plug-in electric vehicles, a tent promoting ethanol as an energy source and other tools to make Americans aware of alternative energy sources. Representatives from the Ethanol Promotion & Information Council, also known as EPIC, drove from Indiana to participate.
The gasoline giveaway began early in the afternoon. "Hundreds" of cars lined the block, and event staffers dripped 20 gallons of free gas into each customer's tank. By the time Appelbaum shut off the pumps, he had given away "thousands of gallons," which were supplied by title sponsor Lehigh Gas Corp., a fuel distributor based in Bethlehem, Pa. Also, event hosts raffled off free gas cards every half hour into the evening.
"Barry has made the effort to extend his hand and help people who really need it," said Ross Di Bono, executive director of the Pennsylvania Gasoline Retailers Association & Allied Trades, Philadelphia. "It's a bit unorthodox what he's doing. Nevertheless, it's free gas for the people that are most in need."
The concert and fuel giveaway, however, almost never happened. Around 6 a.m. that morning, Appelbaum received a visit from local law enforcement, who told him he could not host the event because the city's Department of Licenses & Inspections revoked the permit. By noon, after some back and forth between the parties, Appelbaum got the green light and customers began lining up for free gasoline.
"There's always some drama," said Appelbaum, known in some circles as the "bad boy of gasoline." "But I'm doing this for the people; they're the ones who need help. Big Oil is part of the solution, not the problem, so it's very important for everyone to work together to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil. I'm looking into blender pumps for ethanol [for my store]," he continued. "I've talked to my supplier about it, and they can get me supply."
Appelbaum's store sits on a bustling corner along a stretch of Aramingo Avenue, in full view of Philadelphia's Center City skyline. Newly painted for the MIO event, the building bore shades of vibrant reds, yellows and purples, and was complemented by hand-painted murals of Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Bob Marley and other music icons of the past and present.
By late afternoon, more than a hundred people had crowded the lot to enjoy the free entertainment. Throughout the day, people wandered inside the store to fill up on soft pretzels, cold beverages and Appelbaum's signature "hot pouch" Grilladelphia cheesesteaks, which he has proclaimed "the best in the country."
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.