A plea for a Plea

As a lifelong Stockton resident I've seen a lot of change in this city. Growth has obviously been the biggest change, but there's always been one major constant. People under the age of 35 have been roundly ignored by local leaders. There's been plenty of examples of this over the years. Whether it's the booking of Neil Diamond, opening up a teen center that's usually closed by dusk, or fast-tracking places like Paragary's and the artist formerly known as the Sheraton while making Middagh jump through hoops to get a downtown music venue built. The generational gap is enormous and signs don't really point towards it closing any time soon.

Not that I can blame them, I have a teenage brother and I can't understand half the shit he finds hilarious. He asked me to Netflix "Epic Movie" for him once and he thought it was the funniest thing ever. The only conclusion I could come to at the time was that he must have discovered drugs, but that movie's not even funny when you're stoned. Trust me. I had to unfortunately chalk it up to a generational gap, and we're only 10 years apart in age. I can only assume what people 10-15 years older than me think of my generation's predilections.

The difference in the gaps between city leaders/young folk of Stockton and my brother and I is that my brother and I have found a common ground to bridge that gap. We're both big fans of Mixed Martial Arts. We both thoroughly enjoy "Spongebob Squarepants" (although to be fair, who doesn't enjoy Spongebob?). And we're both unabashed fantasy football junkies. Sure we may not agree on everything (and who does?), but I've grown to at least respect my little brother's tastes because we share at least some of them. Even if I really want to say "Fuck! 'The Suite Life with Zack and Cody' again? How many times can you watch this shit?"

We haven't found that common ground with Stockton yet, although we may be close. When David Rea won the Stocktonian of the Year award for his contributions to the art community, Slick rightfully asked what the fuck they were talking about. That's because our definition of art is different from the definition people who have juice in this town uses. Art to them is paintings and symphonies. Which is why people were bemoaning the fact that the Stockton Symphony's spring concert series had been cancelled. To the older generation, that's less of their high class definition of art.

For us, it was no big deal because Stockton's art community has been thriving over the past year (especially musically). But that's because we have a wider definition of the term "art". As far as we're concerned, what I'm doing right now is art. This blog is art. Sure, it's not some faggy wine and cheesefest but it's something creative. Middagh's band Novacain may be the very definition of the word art, but many in the community probably wouldn't give them a second chance because all they hear is noise. Pretty sad for a town with a street named after Dave Brubeck.

If we're ever going to bridge that generational gap we're going to need to merge our definition of art with their's. And we have a chance to do just that tomorrow at the Plea for Peace Center permit hearing at city hall. We have a chance to say "Hey, we like art, just like you guys!" and hopefully gain some gain some modicum of respect from our elders.

Now, I know what you're thinking "if they don't like us, fuck them". And I understand that line of thinking. I used to be as rebellious as the next guy. But rebelling only gets you so far. After a while it just becomes cynical bitching, and that would make you a hipster. You don't want to be a hipster do you? Nobody respects those douchebags. And that's what a lot of it's about. Respect.

Respect from city leaders, respect from the rest of the art community, and perhaps most importantly; respect for ourselves. It's why the Plea for Peace Center is such a great idea. Art can be a great catharsis (again, especially in music), doing this blog has been one of the most cathartic things I've ever done. But it's the kind of catharsis that matters.

I can't even count the number of shows I've been to that have been shut down prematurely due to fights or senseless property destruction. That's bad catharsis (for the venue. Don't worry, we still love fighting, just in the right places. Like octagons). Unfortunately that's also grouped in with the rest of us just looking to go to a show.

That's why Mike Park started the Plea for Peace Foundation. He saw the negativity that just oozed out of Woodstock 99 and wanted to show that that doesn't represent the art community as a whole. Some of us just like to go to shows and have a nice, drama-free night. You know, at a place where people have respect for each other. And hopefully that's what the Plea for Peace Center will be.

will it happen? Frankly, I don't know. I sure hope so. I know the word "peace" in the name of the venue scares a lot of people. It's not going to be some anti-war, hippie love-in. We just want peace. Peace between the generations, if the quotes in the 209Vibe cover story showed anything it's that we feel there's somebody warring with our art community, trying to hold us back. Peace between ourselves where one doesn't have to worry about getting in a fight because someone caught an errant fist to the nuts during some hardcore dancing. Will it work? I don't know. Nobody knows for sure. But I do think we deserve the chance. And really, that's all we are saying. Give peace a chance.

Update on Plea for Peace Center

So it's past 5pm, anybody wondering what's happening with Middagh's campaign to get the proper permits for the Plea for Peace Center? Two... individuals (restraintrestraintrestraint) wrote letters requesting arbitration or something.

The update from Middagh via PfP's MySpace:

"I will have a petit​ion at all shows​ to encou​rage the Commu​nity Devel​opmen​t to issue​ the permits neede​d to open the Plea for Peace​ Cente​r.​ Two lette​rs were writt​en reque​sting​ a heari​ng set for Thurs​day Decem​ber 11th at 6pm. I have until​ Novem​ber 15th to get both parti​es to write​ new lette​rs recal​ling their​ origi​nal lette​r.​ If that happe​ns permi​ts will be issue​d and we can move forwa​rd.​ If not the heari​ng will be held and a decis​ion to give us (​or not) the permi​ts will be made.​ I hope that we can resol​ve this matte​r witho​ut it going​ to a heari​ng,​ just in case I am going​ to do every​thing​ I can to sway the commi​ttee in our favor​.​ Timmo​ and Liz from Caffi​en Den both have copie​s of the petit​ion.​ If you would​ like to help get signi​tures​ let me know.​ 

Thank​s
Midda​gh"

Why do we need a hearing? And most importantly, who the fuck wrote those letters? Now I feel bad for not writing a letter in support of the center. Middagh, consider this place a forum to stump for signatures.

Plea for Permits

I'm supposed to be taking it easy today but Middagh had to go and throw out something important and newsworthy up on the Stockton Rocks MySpace so I'm passing it along. Anybody who's ever attempted to get a permit from the city knows how difficult it can be, especially even if it's for something sorely needed like a decent downtown music venue. Here's Mr. Goodwin's plea for help copied and pasted from the MySpace bulletin.

Do you live in Stockton and think there is a need for medium size all ages venue? The Plea for Peace Center is in the process of getting its live music permits. A postcard has been sent out requesting feedback. They will accept letters recieved up until 5pm on the 29th. Yeah I know that is only 2 days. If you are able to write a concise letter spelling out the need for a venue like this, that would be great. Reference number UP62-08 in the letter. The venue will be located at 630 E Weber St Stockton CA 95202.
Send letters to
Community Development Director
Permits Center (UP62-08)
345 North El Dorado Street
Stockton, CA. 95202
Send a legible signed letter(including your printed name address and phone number to the address above.)
Thanks
Middagh Goodwin

Old man angrily shakes fist at kids to get of his lawn

(Quick self-synopsis of this post: Kids don't respect their elders. I don't get kids these days. But it's funny so I'm posting it anyways.)

I don't go to as many local shows as I used to. The main reason is because I always feel like old man river when I go. Case in point, last Saturday's Novacain show.

The opening band (Jikoyokusei Shoukogun) was a bunch of high school kids clad in mesh and pleather. They played songs that they thought were dark and brooding but they were really just whiney. One song was actually called "Comfort Cyanide", a name that screams stereotype so loudly they might as well have called it "Cutty McCutmyself". The lead singer also felt the need to wear a black (obviously) skin tight shirt even though he had the biggest titties in a band where he was the only guy. He had some sort of Michael Jackson post-rhinoplasty thing on his face and was also the pleather offender. (I'd feel bad about making fun of a kid, but he probably doesn't care about my "conformist" views anyways. That and I'm a dick.)

Like with a lot of local shows without an age limit, the Blackwater was full of that band's friends who were all probably dropped off in their mom's minivan. They proceeded to cheer some of the most generic songs I've heard since I was in high school and thought Luxt was cool. Mostly they seemed amazed that the female drummer could passably work a double bass. (Even though it broke twice during the show.)

After apologizing to my own eardrums after that set, the solo version of Alitak (the band/person I came to see) took the stage. And he was talked over the entire time by the high school kids (No doubt they were talking about how cool their assumed Japanese names were). We sat through their entire set and I even stifled a groan when they decided to "treat" us to a replaying of their first song (I know, I'm a saint.), but apparently nobody told them that respect is a two-way street (cliché alert!) as Alitak actually got to the point where he stopped mid-song and pretty much told them to shut the fuck up. In actuality he channeled his inner high school teacher and lectured them about respecting the artists....twice during a 20 minute set.

God I fear for the future. But for reals, get off my lawn.