News

make that thing come back.

Amy Klein (ex-Titus Andronicus, now of Hilly Eye, Amy Klein & The Blue Star Band) reviewed our book!

When Do It Yourself Becomes Do It Together: The All Ages Movement Project

The problem with underground and DIY music scenes has always been their exclusiveness. America’s punk movement, which has offered refuge to countless misfits and dreamers over the years, has also erected numerous barriers to entry.

To gain entrance into a particular scene, people may be required to display an allegiance to certain bands, wear a specific type of clothing, hold a particular political ideology, and, most significantly, overcome the sense of intimidation that all newcomers face upon meeting a whole group of people already “in the know.”

Many of these barriers have been born out of necessity: Leaders of any political rebellion have to be careful who they invite into their organization, lest a wrongheaded participant rat them out, or sabotage their plans. Furthermore, in order to provide a home for individuals who genuinely find no place for themselves in mass culture, the punk movement has had to make sure to keep mass culture out.

However, many of these barriers have hurt punk in the long run, transforming a counterculture ostensibly about freedom into its own culture of privilege. Consider, for example, the way that a queer black woman might feel upon arriving at a meeting of a local music collective, only to be put off by the people putting on the local shows. The fact is that who gets intimidated and why can end up defining who gets to participate in counterculture and why. The intimidation factor is often more political than not, especially where in-group members share a common race, class, age, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

The emphasis on the exclusivity of the in-group, and on privacy as opposed to transparency in sharing information and resources, has historically rendered America’s underground musical culture a predominantly white, male, straight movement, and has limited the ability of this culture to reach other demographics.

By the mid-1990’s, the growth of Afropunk, Riot Grrrl, and Queercore scenes demonstrated the need to reinvent punk, and all it stood for. There was a need to create new scenes for those who found no voice in the counterculture of their time.

Additionally, the culture of secrecy that shrouds straightforward organizational tactics—the idea that you must be a member of a certain group in order to learn the rarefied secret of “how to put on a show” or “how to run a venue”—has prevented underground venues from flourishing in the long term. If you have to know a guy who knows a guy, in order to put in a show, what happens when the main guy gets older, or tired of putting on shows? Who knows how to put on their own shows now? Why does it have to be like re-inventing the wheel every time someone tries to run a venue, or even set up a concert? In reality, all the information about how to put on a show and even about how to run a venue could be easily pooled, and shared.

So, what if we made it easy for anyone to start a community music organization in their city or town? Furthermore, what if underground music organizations actually started working together to help each other—working even across city and state lines, and even when they’re serving really different communities? The results would be shocking—nothing less than the creation of a new, authentic, non-commercial, democratic counterculture with enough room for everyone’s voice.

Call this, “Do It Together,” instead of “Do It Yourself.” It’s the argument put forth by Shannon Stewart, and countless other passionate and creative individuals, in a new book, In Every Town: An All-Ages Music Manualfesto. Stewart argues that it’s time to end the insular spirit of underground scenes, time to transform them into facets of a national movement. In Every Town suggests that, through our shared love of music, we can engage with the next generation of youth, and work with them to reinvent our communities in very positive ways.

In Every Town offers case studies of all-ages music organizations around the United States that are using music to bring young people and young adults together to foster self-respect, tolerance, equality, and activism. You’ll hear the story of how a guy named Dave brought gang members together in Denver, Colerado, after a single summer claimed the lives of 36 teenage homicide victims, how Dave listened to them, instead of telling them what to do, and how their discussions led to the formation of a neutral, community space, a place where young people can go to learn hip hop and breakdancing, practice graffiti, and learn audio-recording techniques. You’ll also learn how Batey Urbano, a cultural center dedicated to Puerto Rican and urban music, is inspiring youth in Chicago to take ownership of their culture and their community. In this way, In Every Town offers the reader inspiration—a sense of what is possible when youth and adults come together, using music as the medium for social change.

But In Every Town is more than a description of a movement that’s already in place. It’s also a great how-to guide for anyone interested in participating themselves. That means that the book teaches you everything—yes, everything—you need to know in order to start your own community music organization, get the organization up and running, and keep it going for a very long time. There are clear, simple, step by step guides on how to find a space, or how to operate without one, on how to put on a show, or even a whole music festival, on how to develop an effective organizational structure, on how to get young people involved and how to give them leadership roles in your organization, on how to recruit sponsors and raise money, on how to deal with local government officials, on how to develop relationships with the media to promote your organization, and even on the legal intricacies of registering yourself as a nonprofit—if that’s the way you want to go.

As a musician, and as someone who’s just starting to put on her own shows, I found myself learning a lot about the various mysteries of the music business. There’s a lexicon filled with the terms and jargon that talent buyers and industry types use when they book shows. There are “how-to” guides that systematically demystify those notorious realms known as advertising and promotion. There’s even advice on how to deal with angry neighbors getting pissed off and filing noise complaints. The only piece that was missing from the book, for me, was how to start a record company and release a record. But then again, the times they are a-changing, and who the hell knows how to run a record company these days?

As far as logistics go, In Every Town offers plenty of real world examples: You’ll learn exactly how ABC No Rio, a hotbed of counterculture located on a gentrified block on New York City’s Lower East Side, has fought, sometimes alongside, and sometimes against the city government in order to keep their space for over thirty years, and you’ll learn how AS220 in Providence has managed to turn three enormous downtown buildings into a non-commercial, all ages arts organization that serves youth and adults alike.

You’ll learn how the Neutral Zone in Ann Arbor has created an all-ages organizational structure, where teenagers get to develop, implement, and evaluate their own programs. You’ll even learn the secrets behind the legendary Californian entity known as 924 Gilman, how the punk collective makes decisions, runs security, and books and runs their shows. You’ll learn about how the creators of the Vera Project fought against the Teen Dance Ordinance that prevented youth from gathering in groups to listen to live music, and you’ll learn how you can organize to fight legislation that negatively impacts youth and the arts.

All of the advice is written in engaging prose, and is often told as a series of stories with real characters and vivid settings. You won’t realize until you put down the book how much information you’ve actually absorbed. Furthermore, in addition to the case studies, there are different colored pages offering useful summaries, lists and charts, so you can find information quickly when you want to use the book as a handy reference for action.

Every chapter in the book offers evocative pictures and drawings that illustrate the actual faces of the scenes you’re reading about. That the performers and audience members you’re hearing about turn out to be people of all races, genders, and walks of life leaves you with a feeling that the work of the All Ages Movement knows no genre limits, no particular group affiliation. That all these young people are smiling, waving their hands in unison, working together, dancing, making things happen suggests something very powerful about the way we still come together under the common flag of music, despite all the things that divide us.

Ultimately, the All Ages Movement is based on a feeling of shared community around music, and on the belief that the opportunities provided by counterculture are valuable, and should be made available to everyone. The fact that the book involves several authors, several storytellers, and several organizations should give you an idea of the Movement’s intent—not to force all underground culture into a pre-packaged, sanitized nonprofit box, but instead, to create opportunities for all of us to develop our own music organizations by showing us all the different ways in which music organizations are functioning today. The final chapter is co-written by all of the various authors, and documents a group discussion of the way in which all-ages music organizations can share resources and support each other, even though, and perhaps, because they are all serving radically different communities in radically different ways.

The fear of subculture being co-opted, repackaged, and sold back to the masses as a watered down, inauthentic version of itself, has been realized several times—in the case of hip hop, originally an underground political and arts movement hijacked by commercial promoters and record executives and re-sold to the general public as mostly devoid of its political content, and then in the case of Riot Grrrl, a grassroots feminist rebellion by adolescent girls that was converted by the mainstream media into a fashion trend, and also, in the case of punk itself, which has been co-opted and commercialized and sold to us for so many years that most people argue it’s already dead. As In Every Town makes clear, however, punk—or at least, the spirit of punk is still very much alive—not in the form of individuals, but in the form of communities. In the form of organizations that foster the growth of authentic youth culture as a form of resistance to the dominant, commercial, whitewashed, masculine, and inauthentic cultural ideologies of our day.

Some may fear that publicizing information that was previously available only through private relationships with others in “the scene” may contribute to the further weakening of underground culture. But the fact is that the Internet has changed everything about underground music, and about who can access it, and how. Whether we like it or not, ours is a new, open source culture, where sharing information doesn’t necessarily mean selling out.

Now that traditional strategies for making and selling records are beginning to fail, and now that the music industry is struggling to maintain its commercial influence, it’s time to start dreaming about other ways we might potentially create and distribute music. Now that partisanship has blocked most traditional political avenues to progress and change, it’s time to start thinking about whether music can provide us with a new road towards activism. Now that our country faces a crisis of capitalism, and American democracy seems to be broken for good, it’s about time we started thinking about the relationship between music and community, and how we can use one to build the other. In Every Town is just one place to get started.

On November 30th, Whatcom All-Ages Arts and Music (WhAAM) and Make.Shift announced their new partnership! WhAAM is a nonprofit that works to bring together youth and the community through a safe all-ages music and arts venue. Make.shift is also a nonprofit that supports independent musicians through environmentally friendly programs.The two organizations are moving into a new facility in Bellingham to support each other in reaching their common goals.

“After searching for over eight months, we finally found our new home, and everyone involved couldn’t be more pleased,” said Amanda Kalkwarf, 2009-2010 WhAAM President. “In addition to all-ages concerts, this space will offer art classes and workshops, low-cost practice spaces, a ‘zine library, and a resource center for local musicians and artists.”

Although extremely excited to move into their new place, there are many renovations that need to be done. Both organizations are working hard to raise $10,000 by the end of February in hopes of moving in the spring. Make a donation or watch their video on their project!

On November 26th, Rebel Sound Records in Pittsfield, MA hosted their last show. Store owner Andy Poncherello has been booking bands in Pittsfield since the 90's but crowds have slowly decreased.

"It’s not 1988, it’s not 1992 anymore," Poncherello said. "Now, kids can hide in their bedroom, ignore their family and still be able to reach out to friends and hear music. Ten years ago, you had to leave the house to ignore your family."

However, getting an audience wasn't a problem at their farewell show. Bands including The Dance Cancer and White Boys Can't Jump played to a packed venue of about 50 people who showed up to say their goodbyes. Read the full article here!

All ages venue The Farm in Las Vegas also had to close their doors in September because the venue was no longer self-sustaining. Former
booker Steven “Jewish King” Goldberg departed in early August, after what he calls

"financial and personal disputes with Tracy Rader, the store owner. Littlefield says the Farm was left scrambling to confirm its calendar."

Even with The Farm closing, Las Vegas' all ages scene still seems to be doing alright. Patrick Trout, who used to book bands on occasion, is now booking shows for Area 702 Skatepark as well as The Sanctuary. Read the full article here!

The closing of Cafe Metropolis last September in Wilkes-Barre, PA has inspired filmmaker Stephanie Ogozaly to make a documentary about the last month of the all-ages music venue.

"Manager Kevin Dougherty explained that the building was due to be renovated and relocating wasn't feasible."

The venue will be missed by many because it was often thought of as a utopia for "outsiders", a place to feel accepted no matter what your personal taste in music, dance, and art. Watch the movie trailer and stay tuned for updates about the documentary here! Read the full article here!

In March 2008 ABC No Rio unveiled plans for an all-new and highly improved building. Now the all-ages venue and art space on Manhattan's lower east side is closer than ever to implementing them.

The new facilities will be tailored to meet the standards of the Passive House Institute, a green-building organization on the cutting edge of energy efficiency and conservation. Through the use of high-efficiency heating, solar technology, and airtight insulation, ABC No Rio will enjoy a 90% reduction in overall energy consumption, as well as improved water efficiency, soundproofing, and wheelchair accessibility.

ABC No Rio has completed 80% of the necessary fundraising to date, having brought in $2.45 million from the City of New York, and $1.5 million in private donations. To donate directly to ABC No Rio's Building Fund, click here now.

According the the New York Times , the passive building movement is still in its early stages in the U.S. But with over 25,000 passive buildings in Europe, the movement has enjoyed considerable growth overseas. By committing to be the first non-residential passive facility in NYC, ABC No Rio hopes to pave the way for many more U.S. organizations and businesses committed to reducing environmental impact.

This October 3rd is the beginning of the 10th Annual Future of Music Policy Summit in Washington, DC.

This three-day event will feature artists, critics, and music industry experts covering a wide variety of some of today's most pressing matters in the music business. How can we use music to bring about social change? How do online social networks affect our relationships with artists and music? What is the future of music distribution?

AMP's own Kevin Erickson will be attending the summit to speak on a panel about artist activism.

Other panelists include Chairman Rocco Landesman of the National Endowment for the Arts; Tim Westergren, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Pandora; members of Flobots, Public Enemy, OK Go, and The Hold Steady; and many more music business leaders and policymakers.

Visit the Future of Music Policy Summit's webpage and browse the schedule to learn more.

Color Cube is making news in Boise, ID as it prepares to open its doors to all-ages music fans.

Check out this awesome article from Boise Weekly to learn more about how Boise is beefing up its all-ages scene, or pay a visit to the Color Cube Facebook page.

Last Thursday on NPR's Fresh Air Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day spent some time remembering his teenage experience at the legendary 924 Gilman, located in downtown Berkeley, California.

"I was getting an education that I wasn't really getting at home, or from the schools I had to go to," he says. "It was this feeling, like, I'm out of prison."

The shout-out comes during troubled times for 924 Gilman, as the decades-old community-run punk venue struggles to raise funds to pay for an abrupt and massive rent hike. From the 924 Gilman website,

The club’s rent has been increasing every year for the last twenty three years, and up until now we’ve been able to make the adjustments needed to compensate for those increases, but what we are facing now is the equivalent of having twenty years of rent increases condensed into one, and once it goes into effect the clock will begin to tick away as we struggle to generate the extra $31,000.00 a year needed to cover this massive rent hike.

And with a $25 donation to 924 Gilman earning you a handsome Gilman t-shirt or tote bag, now if the perfect time to let them know how much you care.

Keep 924 Gilman alive by donating now

Read AMP's spotlight on 924 Gilman, excerpted from IN EVERY TOWN: an All-ages Music Manualfesto.

Listen to the entire 36-minute interview with Billy Joe Armstrong

Western Washington University will host a very exciting Pop Music Industry Conference this weekend in Bellingham, Washington. Music industry experts and professionals will be speaking at the event, including AMP's own Kevin Erickson! Kevin will speak on a panel about the struggles and joys of all-ages venues.

WHEN: Saturday & Sunday, May 22nd and 23rd, 10am - 10pm each day (dropping in for only part of the conference is perfectly OK)

WHERE: Viking Union and Old Main Theater at Western Washington University (yea, Bellingham!)

WHO: Music Industry Professionals and Students or Community Members interested in learning about the music industry or aspiring to build a career in ANY facet of the music world.

WHAT (PURPOSE): The Pop Music Industry Conference is bringing a variety of music industry experts to Bellingham in order to allow students and community members a chance to learn the ins-and-outs of getting into and succeeding in the business.

PRICE: FREE (We know. It's amazing.)

Special shout-outs to friends of AMP Jessica Hopper (author of The Girl's Guide To Rocking), Carla DeSantis (Editor & Publisher of Rockrgrl), and Gabriel Teodros (Seattle-based hiphop artist), all also speaking.

To find out more about this momentous and FREE opportunity, pay a visit to the Pop Music Industry Conference webpage.