While it is stalled in committee, the so-called Promoters Ordinance--which would place a difficult, expensive and largely unnecessary new level of bureaucracy on local concert promoters and club bookers--is far from dead; it's just a question of when it will rear its ugly head again, and in what form.
Meanwhile, a number of community activists continue to keep a watchful eye on this legislation, examining the possible ramifications and trying to mobilize the troops. One source for monitoring the situation is the Chicago Music Commission, which tries to take a moderate, level-headed, political lobbyist's approach. A far more radical (and entertaining) view comes from the underground group TheRecordIndustry.com, which has made a video documentary entitled "Chicago's Promoters Ordinance Kills Independent Music."
(Disclosure: I was among those interviewed for this film.)
On Saturday, the Chicago Art Department, 1837 S. Halsted, will present a screening of the new film starting at 7:30 p.m., followed by a Q&A panel discussion featuring Law Professor Henry H. Perritt, Jr., among others. Admission is free, and more info is available here.
If you can't make it out in person, the video also has been posted on the Web.
Right the funk on! I'm there!!
I don't know. Judging by how god awful the Chicago music scene currently is, I think whatever this ordinance is can't possibly reduce it any worse. It will probably eliminate all the posers, pretenders, pseudo-intellectuals, hipster frauds and other types that gunk up the works for the rest of us who actually want to do it for a career. I think it's probably a good thing.