Earlier this month I went to Miss Pixie’s to hear Jenny Hart, creator of indie craft company Sublime Stitching, speak as part of Hello Craft’s first annual SUMMIT OF AWESOME. It may have been a mild side-effect of a melancholy, post-Comet hangover, but as I listened to her talk about having thrown it all to the wind to turn an obsession with embroidery into a real-life, pays-the-rent (and several people’s salaries on top of that) DREAM JOB – I started to think about me and you and everyone we know.
We live in a city where our true loves are our side projects; where architects are secretly editrixes and lawyers are photographers and even the members of the really good bands work 9-5 desk jobs. It’s the DC version of the can’t-pay-the-rent, paying-your-dues stories that biographers love to drag out; we’re too responsible, as a city, to fuck around without health insurance and job security and paychecks, but at what cost? Is this the cause, to quote one of the DURKLs, of “the unfounded lack of respect the city and anything creative that comes out of it gets”? And worse, if we DID all quit our dayjobs to work exclusively on what we really WANTED to do for 60 hours a week, would there even be a creative economy to support what we turned out? For all the money in this city, it often seems to take no interest in US. We get along with grants and the support of our friends; we barter and trade; we self-sustain without profit. Is it like this everywhere, or is this why the creatively-aspirational take off for New York at the slightest tremble of success? I wallowed in this for like two incredibly bummed out weeks, and then I woke the fuck up.
We’re part of something. Here. Now. Credit it to the national attention brought on by the new administration, of course, but don’t for a second overlook the momentum built up by the last several years of establishing and evolving all our different projects. There hasn’t been this much to do or to locally support since I’ve been here, and we’ve all known for A WHILE that when Gawker wrote in February that “DC will never be cool” because “(t)here’s no ‘creative class’ of monied young jerks showing up…with the express purpose of wasting their funds making indie dance music, starting literary journals, or even buying researching jobs at Vanity Fair,” that it’s bullshit. What of our Civilian Art Projects and Transformers and ; our Bored of Trades, our Listopad Treasuries and DC Mini Galleries; our De*Nadas and our Nilay Lawsons and our Erik Loftens; our Liz Gormans and Josh Cogans; our Benjy Ferrees and U.S. Royalties and THE FACT THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE THAN THREE GOOD BANDS AT A TIME RIGHT NOW? We’ve been honing “indie dance parties” and clothing lines and magazines and websites and god knows what else for at least the last five years – and we’ve done it all on the side. DIY-style. Without monied jerks. In a city (and a country, really) that hasn’t appreciated us for it since the Dischord era.
It’s an excellent time to have been building things in DC, and the sudden national attention is well-deserved and far from over. It’s time to push, to bring our projects up from the basement and out of our living rooms; to send out our press releases; to GO FOR FUCKING BROKE. If it’s outside attention that’s going to legitimize our creative aspirations so be it; but we’ve gone underappreciated and under the radar for way too long. Am I being idealistic? YES. Am I advocating that we say fuck all and cash in our 401ks, invest in OURSELVES, then sit around and wait for Things To Happen? Well, no. The problem of a viable creative economy remains, and I’m handing it over to DISCUSSION as to how that problem is going to be solved. But let’s not lose momentum. Let’s figure it out.
also, i would like to respond, but will do so a bit later
May 29, 2009 at 12:05 pmThere’s a lot of caps and bold in that, but a whole lotta truth too. DC is in a unique spotlight, with a lot of attention suddenly focused on us and our doings. We need to not fuck it up by being shallow and elitist, or making artificial distinctions between old scensters and new heads, and especially–>
we need to actually _make_ shit, not just sit around and talk about it or snark about what people are or aren’t accomplishing or how hot we look or get blasted and email eachother bout how many drugs we take and how drunk I got last night and how many cute girls want my bod and who is going to be at the show and what am i supposed to think about this? Not that we can help doing any of that but we just need to make the shit too + make it fast + pure + without overthinking it before the attention of the world wanders and nu-nu-metal comes back and everything gets too glitzy to be homemade and nobody cares anymore and the fascist win.
Good manifesto morgan.
May 29, 2009 at 12:12 pmJuly 1 baby, get on board.
May 29, 2009 at 12:16 pmAnd this is why I just quit my job
May 29, 2009 at 12:18 pmi quit my day job cause i believe exactly what morgan said..lets get it poppin dc
May 29, 2009 at 12:37 pmGovernment is not DC, don’t get the two confused. Creative folks are starting to stick their heads out more – i’ve seen more action in the studio in the alley (plug – http://www.dcphotocoop.com ) in the past couple months than a long time before. More MUA’s, stylists, models, etc.. Still think that getting any time of fulltime creative gig in this town without at least one or two corestone commercial clients is tough – i’m still trying to pay off the used JOBO drum developer I got last month.
May 29, 2009 at 12:38 pmSpeaking of creative economy, I want to shoot something for the next pandahead!
May 29, 2009 at 12:45 pmI definitely think that it’s an exciting time for the grind right now. I’ve been around the area at least long enough to see a few waves of creative energy and excitement, followed by the quiet lulls. But there are a lot of things that are converging right now that make this time feel a little different. It’s a good time to be in DC, fer sure. And as long as we keep supporting it, we give each other incentives to keep creating it.
May 29, 2009 at 12:47 pmThis is a discussion i have almost everyday with folks. Though this article is a bit indie-centric and isn’t accounting for the increased national attention that folks have been getting in various dance music circles around the city for quality parties and production, the foundations of this piece are spot-on.
May 29, 2009 at 12:54 pmEven though we’re getting crap like “Real Housewives of DC”, this national attention has had a very positive effect, we are now more confident than EVER! I expect much more support for the creative economy to follow shortly. Very nice Morgan!
May 29, 2009 at 12:56 pmI just wanted to toss out there *has* been no shortage of people willing to throw it away and do creative work in DC. It’s just rarely gotten the attention. Even the above is taking a pretty limited indie view of the whole thing and keeping it to within the last five years. There are a million different subcultures in this city–the main issue is that we’ve lived with such fragmentation that’s prevented us from ever noticing.
The other thing is that as the economy tanks, I don’t think we should be hoping for an economy of people who work non-creative jobs to support us. We need to work towards creating an economy that allows everyone to be creative. The seeds for that are definitely in this city, but it’s going to take a lot of active stepping away from what we’ve been brought up with.
May 29, 2009 at 1:04 pmI think the other problem is that we lack physical spaces to help with creation of a creative community. The number of truly DIY community spaces is like zero, whereas NYC and SF have spaces up the wazoo and if you go to Europe, people are willing to squat.
That’s what helped make the rave scene take the fuck off here: a willingness to break into buildings and use them. We need to bring that shit back.
May 29, 2009 at 1:11 pmAMEN Morgan.
A. I think this a great discussion for this forum…cause guess what DC gov’t talks about this but takes no action…we are the only people who will be action oriented.
B. I went a forum called DC’s Creative Class put on by DC Office of Planning. They spend a gujillion dollars on a report saying that we exist, then fed it back to us. Again, its up to us.
C. I invite everyone to come start, share, build their dream at Affinity Lab. We have been in the biz of helping creatives build their independent dreams for year. Its like a club house of coorporate refugees in here. Come play.
D. If this groups wants to set up a new forum on how to kick ass in DC we can do it here at the Lab.
Morgan you raise a really good point – but a huge issue for a lot of artists, musicians, DJs is that it’s hard to let go of decent benefits and a steady paycheck. It’s a real dilemma that a lot of people face, especially because we live in a country that offers no real safety net.
On a side note, I think it’s a great time to be in a band in DC right now. There is no definitive DC sound – no constraints. I really hope that the bands that are playing now don’t follow the local tradition of getting really good and then just breaking up outta the blue.
May 29, 2009 at 1:32 pm@Explodo McHappyTron – right on, Detroit is the 180 that shows how poor we are in this regard:
http://detroitunrealestateagency.blogspot.com/2009/03/old-space-for-new-ideas-embarassment-of.html
May 29, 2009 at 1:41 pmPaul Graham kind of nails what we’re talking about:
http://www.paulgraham.com/cities.html
Point being: people aren’t generally “rewarded” in DC’s social circles for being outside the mainstream – in fact the opposite is true. “The city” doesn’t celebrate alternative pursuits, because so many of us (including the people on this website) work in /very/ conservative industries like law firms or government – in fact, /came here/ to work in those industries after years of hard work. A city like Detroit is the opposite – you’ve got people basically trapped, but happy enough with the wealth of cheap resources to play with and a social scene that demands aggressively tribal, DIY creativity.
In other words, to be blunt: a city is what gets you laid. In New York it’s money, in Detroit it’s art, and in DC it’s power.
May 29, 2009 at 1:48 pmi dunno dude, in a town chock full of people who think they’re making a difference, its a lot easier to get laid because of your ideals than it is because of your rolodex. even the very powerful in dc have to pretend to have “teh peoplez” interests at heart. Which is why being a soulful expert in darfur water shortages or wtfever gets as many dicks hard here as a wall street job does up north.
but either way, you carpetbaggers have always been an earnest bunch. locals just care about one thing: TACO TRUCKS. WE WANT FUCKING TACO TRUCKS
MORE MEXICANS IN DC ASAP KTHX
Explodo makes a good point about the lack of cheap physical space in DC (& even the close-in ‘burbs). IMHO, that’s 1 of the 2 major things holding this area back creatively, the other being demographic, i.e., a shortage of creative types living in the area, @ least relative to places like NYC, LA, or even ATL, Philly, & B-more.
The physical space issue is actually the hardest to overcome because of the historical lack of heavy industry in DC (i.e., not a lot of vacant warehouses & factories) & the building height limit. Obviously, this means commercial & residential real estate are also relatively expensive, & the high cost of housing clearly both discourages many creatives from settling here & encourages those that do to disperse themselves throughout the region (rather than clustering in a few neighborhoods).
The demographic problem is exacerbated by the physical/economic 1, but is more of a chicken-egg situation. Obviously, NYC, LA, SF, etc. are very expensive, too, but they’re “the Show” & people are more willing to put up w/the hassle & expense because that’s where the action is (or supposed to be) & they benefit from having a creative critical mass & the network effects that go w/that. DC traditionally just isn’t the Show when it comes to creative & artistic endeavors; as I think Lindsay Hart mentioned in an interview, people come here to change the world (or advance in politics), not make beautiful things. Tony is right that gov’t isn’t DC, but Gawker had a point: gov’t is the big “monied jerk” in this town, always will be, & that definitely affects the type of people who are attracted to the area. The closest thing we have to a creative industry is journalism/public relations/media & as the old business model(s) in that sector (e.g., newspapers) die off they’re taking a lot of decent-to-well-paying creative jobs w/them. I think there’s a huge *market* for creative stuff w/all the highly-educated people who live here, but in the absence of the traditional artistic sugar daddies (European aristocracy, bored industrialists, traditional print magazines, etc.), I fear that creators will be stuck w/DIY solutions for the foreseeable future. BTW, I think this applies to other creative sectors like restaurants & explains why our food scene is not as awesome as it should be.
May 29, 2009 at 1:57 pmJust saw Jason’s post. Graham’s essay is a better-written discussion of what I was talking about re: demographics. B-more is our local equivalent of Detroit.
May 29, 2009 at 2:05 pmPedro: Word. Except we also need more real Chinese food (& Chinese).
May 29, 2009 at 2:09 pmIf you limit your market to a particular city then, yes, you’re stuck with having to go along or against with your city’s particular dynamic. But groups like Thievery Corporation (who happen to bore me to tears) blew up worldwide without any kind of foothold in DC at all. Granted some types of creative products or services are more portable than others but if your locale can’t support you, use the internet to network and find other markets.
May 29, 2009 at 2:10 pmI like the spirit of this! I agree that it would really help to have more spaces to play. I personally am a musician with a new record I recorded in my bedroom. I’m really excited about it, but I have nowhere to play. I don’t have a band and I can’t even find a fucking decent open mic around here. When I used to be in St. Louis, they had this space Lemp Arts Center that was extremely supportive and booked me many times. They had shows every night. You know why the creative economy worked at Lemp? BECAUSE EVERY SHOW WAS FIVE BUCKS. Make every show five bucks, not seven, not eight… and then people will come. It’s a question of price elasticity. You drop the price and the influx of people will greatly increase. I know personally I’m way more likely to check something out for five bucks instead of seven. It’s basically psychological but it’s true.
May 29, 2009 at 2:11 pmGET A SMALL SPACE IN A NOT SO GHETTO NEIGHBORHOOD AND CHARGE 5 BUCKS PER SHOW… IF YOU BUILD THAT THEY WILL COME.
May 29, 2009 at 2:12 pmI don’t think you guys understand how hard it is to put on events for a reasonable cost in reasonable neighborhoods that people want to goto. Promoters/DJs in this city will know what I am talking about.
May 29, 2009 at 2:18 pmOne of the things that I think gets overlooked is the immense (and bullshit) power that neighborhood associations and activist civic groups hold in DC. Should cheap space be available, good luck trying to turn it into low cost art space without spending ten years fighting NIMBY assholes to do so.
@ furcafe – this is especially true when talking about our food scene. the only successful restauranteurs are the ones who know how to play the system, not the best chefs or the hippest scenes. Same is true for architecture. Why is every new building in DC designed by Shalohm (sp) Barnes? Not because he’s got talent; it’s because his firm knows exactly what the neighborhood groups will approve.
IF you want this scene to change, you need to stick around for more than a few years. get involved and vote these idiots out of office.
May 29, 2009 at 2:19 pmi think that lately we DO have our own version of the WAREHOUSE SITUATION, and it’s been the fact that local business owners are willing and ready to open their doors to whatever endeavors they can accomodate. whether it’s comet hosting local bands or VIDEYO! shows or panda head parties (we love you, carole and james), dahlak’s art exhibitions or som records and marvin giving listopad a home for their cocktail parties, it’s all indicative of the kind of community that we’ve been building and building towards. but yeah, JEREMY HAS AN EXCELLENT POINT AS WELL.
and yes – i’ll totally admit that this did end up a bit “-centric,” but only because a) the creative landscape in DC is literally way, way too big to namecheck all at once and b) i may or may not have gotten a little wine-centric last night and had to finish this up real quick this morning. but chris is totally right – if there’s one thing that we have gained traction with it’s music, and that’s because it’s WAY more accessible. if what you’re making is amazing then (HOPEFULLY) you’re going to be given the opportunity to literally pick it up and move it from city to city – and as our last CULTURAL REVOLUTION (aka dischord) occurred pre-internet, this should happen ten-fold for us now.
the problem, then, remains how to either a) make ALL of what all of us make available, en masse, to the rest of the world or b) get money flowing from previously untapped sources in the city proper.
good points all around.
Lets all try for MORE COLLABORATION!
Chris, I know what you mean about the difficulty with this city. It’s been the fucking problem with the club scene here for years now. Ever since they bulldozed the Navy Yard and whacked like 3/4 of our nightlife infrastructure, we’ve been pretty boned.
I think the only real solution is that we have to just say fuck it and start building our own shit. It’s doable.
The other hump is finding spaces that people want to go to. For some weird reason, people were willing to go to Nation and the Edge but when they closed, people refused to go anywhere not Posh. I think that shit’s changing though, slowly but surely.
And a collapsing economy and the clear signs of long-term, Europe-style mass youth unemployment will only accelerate that. Silver linings.
But we gotta be willing to take risks. And I mean more than the risk that someone might not show up to shit.
May 29, 2009 at 2:41 pmI think the indie-centric thing is changing. Slowly. It’s glacial but it’s finally fucking changing. I’m gonna be honest, there was a period of a couple of years where a lot of people in this city who got voice acted like anything subcultural was irrelevant and it didn’t help that the scenes in this city were so fucking fragmented. Punk kids and rave kids talking to each other? fucking forget about it.
But about the spaces: We don’t lack for spaces. there are a fuckton.
If people want to do shit in warehouses, hit me up. I know like twelve billion and have been breaking into shit on the regular lately. You have the advantage of a city that has no clue what it actually owns, but the info about vacant city property being publicly available, meaning you can use a warehouse without getting a trespassing charge because the cops won’t do anything absent the property owner complaining. So, at worst, you get a noise violation or someone says “okay, go home.”
May 29, 2009 at 2:49 pmhow about a week long critical mass? nothing like a random excuse to block traffic!
May 29, 2009 at 2:56 pmThere are “creatives” here, we just haven’t been invited out yet.
DC struggles on a lot of fronts. There isn’t one place to go for a particular “scene” or regularly celebrated art events. DC is melting-pot of cultures, politicians and social classes but they’re all trying their best not to stand out or sway from the norm.
May 29, 2009 at 3:02 pmHere are my three cents: In a city as expensive as DC, one way to help the cultural economy would be through public subsidies. I noticed that the local Government tends to support a lot of established art but to a much lesser extent individual projects (correct me if I’m wrong). This doesn’t need to be – it’s a political choice. You can call for subsidies in arts. For the private community, the way to go would be through creating and supporting more networks. As you have noticed, there has been change over the past two/three years. There are more galleries, more projects, more events and parties going on. Because people like you – the folks from byt – have functioned as catalyst in a small scale (thank you!). There are now more platforms to disseminate and obtain information and its been easier to navigate through the local scene. More transparency creates more opportunities, and in turn more interest, action, reward. Thrive. So, in my opinion, the key would be to strengthen networks and, organize (more and even more) events and offer open and inclusive options for participation. It’s a good time for that because with Obama “change” moved into town (heh) and change usually creates space for new ideas .
Here is your challenge: I have a friend who is a talented fashion designer. She moved here about 6 months ago and still hasn’t found people to work with on projects. In Berlin it would have taken her less than two weeks, in NYC less than a month. Find and offer ways to reach out to people like her. Make it (more) easy and cheap(er) for them to mix up and work with folks like you. Then you got something.
How about, for instance, a (somewhat more serious) message board/forum for the local art scene? A place where people can discuss ideas, share relevant information (e.g. grants, empty spaces, shows etc,), team up on projects or simply ask where they can get whatever they need. Or is something like that already around?
May 29, 2009 at 3:03 pm@Explodo
we have these venues in DC that provide that same atomosphere, quality of sound system, etc. that those clubs provided: Trinidad and Tobago Association in Petworth, 411 NY Ave. Warehouse (though this is less regular) a certain 3 story row house on Rhode Island Ave., Gold Leaf, ETc.
Morgan is right, WE HAVE THESE SPACES. Folks just need to get accustomed to the fact that they exist a couple of miles beyond their comfortable 2 mile social scene bubbles.
May 29, 2009 at 3:04 pmim so proud of you guys this is like a real conversation here in which people from different backgrounds work together to build resources rather than fight each-other for handouts and attention. We need punks to recognize dance-parties, fashion designers to reach out to metal fans, DJ’s to play local indie bands–basically being proactive in scenes that are necessarily your thing but you recognize as viable.
In conclusion since this is a long byt comment thread let me just mention:
1. hipsters
2. coke
3. taking pictures of yourself
4. asians
5. fugazi
6. how much better/worse shows used to be
7. dc is ugly people
8. myspace for some reason
9. disco sucks
10. stuffthatwhitepeoplelike
11. reverse racism
112. swingdancing
13. and more drugs
Carry on, sorry.
May 29, 2009 at 3:06 pmA great venue is Comet… but they need to charge 5 bucks, not 10.
May 29, 2009 at 3:21 pmI do understand though that it’s tuff to find cheap space in safe neighborhoods. Columbia Heights has potential because it’s getting less sketchy. But, Chris Burns was complaining… I mean, he spins for 8 bucks… I just won’t come for 8, but 5 I’ll be there… see what I mean. Dischord shows were NEVER more than 5. Of course, there’s been inflation… but it’s still more the psychological factor of 5 bucks sounds like not a lot so it’s worth taking a risk seeing a performance you might not like… it’s 5 bucks whatever.
May 29, 2009 at 3:25 pmAnd if there are no venues possible in a decently safe neighborhood for cheap… then people need to have HOUSE SHOWS. Talk about underground and fun. The bored of trade.. that was excellent. They could have charged five bucks there… pure profit… more fun next time with that money.
May 29, 2009 at 3:35 pmchris burns is worth 8 bucks in my book.
for the person with the friend who does fashion. email me ill collaborate on whatever. lucas@durkl.com
like the message board idea too..how do we get that started?
May 29, 2009 at 3:37 pmReally? Columbia Heights? I don’t think anyone would consider that remotely affordable anymore, sketchy or not.
It’s getting time to start looking at cottage city/rt.1/North Bladensburg, etc – real estate prices here aren’t going anywhere.
Or, just land that bang up government job with telework privilege, and move to Baltimore and do it up right.
np – what is your friend looking for?
May 29, 2009 at 3:37 pmWell, I know of a message board http://shitshow.brightestyoungthings.com/?CategoryID=1
May 29, 2009 at 3:43 pmCOlumbia Heights has already priced itself out. Petworth is the last frontier for spaces (in NW) and this too will only last for a year or two before that development at the metro station becomes operational.
@Jeremy Sorry dude, but the economics and budgets of throwing events in raw spaces is much greater than showing up to an established bar and throwing down. Paying for security, door people, staff, sound systems, soundman, djs, bands clean-up, etc. costs money and time. Believe me, if I could charge $5 i would. But a $3 difference is not exorbitant when inflation and real estate prices are considered in the context of this city (when compared to the legendary $5 Dischord cover).
The rush I get throwing parties can’t beat anything in the world. But sometimes folks don’t understand what really goes behind the events that you get lost in music and faced at.
I would hope you might think twice before n
Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining
May 29, 2009 at 3:44 pm@nihilistic There is Jesse Cohen’s artdc.org forum, but in my experience it gets more use from folks in the visual & studio arts than musicians & the like.
May 29, 2009 at 3:45 pmthis discussion needs more david fogel.
love him or hate him dude is the perfect example of someone busting his ass to try and push things forward by and inspire positive change in dc and the rest of the world through art, design, music & creativity…… on a side note i gave up my “real” job years ago and couldn’t be happier working on design and promotion all day urr day. i def get mad nervous when its time to pay the bills but i’m one of the happiest people i know cuz i do what i truly love to support myself. if you are out there and contemplating doing the same thing i strongly suggest saying “fuck it” and going for it. life is too to be scared of doing what you believe in.
meant to say life is too short to be scared of doing what you believe in……….another great thing about working on your own is you can get stoned at 3:30 in the afternoon at your desk in your studio while finishing off the projects you are working on.
;-)
May 29, 2009 at 4:06 pmWhat this discussion also needs is somone to tell us what to do if you are foreign and require being sponsored for our work permits/green cards by actual “legit” companies as opposed to just ourselves to stay in the country. That whole thing makes it a little harder for some to bust out.
May 29, 2009 at 4:15 pmi agree sup…..
a marriage of convenience is one of the only solutions i could suggest at the moment.
GO HERE:
http://dcarts.dc.gov
The DC government wants to give you money to make art. Give it to you (as in you don’t have to pay it back. Ever.) so you can have an exhibit at a coffee shop or teach photography to local kids or have a festival or record, produce and promote an album. Seriously, there are grants from $1,000 to $100,000.
” According to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, the District of Columbia ranks first among states in per capita investment in the arts. “
May 29, 2009 at 4:42 pmIf you need help writing your grant you can send a message to me on shitshow (I am Dave on shitshow)
May 29, 2009 at 4:57 pm@Chris Burns “Petworth is the last frontier for spaces (in NW)”
Exactly the problem. Come on guys, I thought you all were hipsters. NW is done. Adams Morgan is overrun, Columbia Heights gentrified, U Street gasping its last gasp.
Artist colonies everywhere start somewhere that is less desirable, usually cheap and dirty and dangerous and off the beaten path. H street is kinda like this, but I’m sure property values are already starting to go up. Arguing that DC just lacks space is bullshit though. Yeah, that space isn’t gonna be a block from your house or a block from a metro stop, and yeah you aren’t gonna want to walk around there alone at night, but that is why it is available. You might have to take the bus, oh my! (but i know you’ll ride your vintage bike)
Come on, you are supposed to be creative, so less bitching and more brainstorming/organizing/doing.
May 29, 2009 at 5:06 pm@thought hipsters like danger, nation and the edge and tracks tore the fuck up and they were in the sketchiest neighborhood ever. why you would want to go to a party or a show in a venue that looked like the inside of a luxury sedan is beyond me.
There was this AWESOME looking vacant carpet company in Petworth that looked gorgeous on the inside, but a developer recently gobbled it up.
Mark and Dawn of JV’s are my personal heroes right now for what they’ve done for this city.
@Libby, people are way too snarky and too few on the shitshow to make it a community place thus far. I can post on the Buzzboard for that experience already. lol.
May 29, 2009 at 7:21 pmI <3 trinidad & anacostia
May 29, 2009 at 8:08 pmI think what we should do is start getting clever. We should seek out random ass places not in the hood that has the potential to be a venue and make it a venue. Maybe it would be some random chinese place that happens to have some sort of karaoke night and thus has a stage. We could strike deals with these types of places… make new venues for shows and art. It’s a difficult proposition, because logically these two things are opposed, but what we need is:
5 BUCK SHOWS NOT IN THE HOOD WITH LOTS OF VARIETY IN THE ACTS.
If we can be creative enough to make this happen, we’ll have a really cool scene.
May 29, 2009 at 9:31 pmGood idea, Jeremy. I just thought of the perfect yet severely underused venue. The Electric Maid in Takoma, a literally 2-minute walk from the Takoma Metro (Red line). It’s a “community living room” with a stage, some couches and a great AV guy. Saw a few bands from Philly. Here ya go peeps, let’s make it happen. http://electricmaid.org/
(I seriously have no vested interest in this venue, but I pass by it every day on my way home and wonder what could be. And I’ll tell you now that it’s no luxury sedan interior, oh well.)
May 30, 2009 at 11:09 amfuck discussion! just get out and DO something.
May 31, 2009 at 2:11 pm@ Kei
Thanks for posting that. The Electric Maid indeed seems exactly what I had in mind. Low key, low budget, low crime, near metro. I’m down.
June 1, 2009 at 1:33 amhttp://www.citypaper.com/special/story.asp?id=16003
city paper story.
i still have things to say. will post tonight
June 2, 2009 at 4:43 pmI love this thread. To the comments about quitting your job, doing something more creative with your life — I wanted to make sure people know about a workshop happening at Warehouse next weekend called “How to Quit Your Day Job and Make a Living in the Arts”: http://tinyurl.com/mfzq7a
I also wanted to mention my blog, Creative DC (http://www.creativedc.org) where I write about showcasing/inspiring creative living in DC. I don’t usually self-promote in blog comments, but I cover a lot of the issues this thread encompasses….creative economy, changing DC’s rep as a dull/buttoned-up place, etc.
June 10, 2009 at 11:52 am
i have been having this exact argument for the past month
May 29, 2009 at 12:04 pm