If city officials were hoping that the nearly year-long delay in reintroducing the revised (but still not public) event promoters ordinance would have quashed the level of interest among community activists, well, they were wrong.
The "Free Speech First Friday" discussion series at the Old Town School of Folk Music had scheduled a session on the controversial legislation even before it appeared as if it's about to enter the spotlight again. A panel featuring representatives of the Chicago Music Commission, anarcho-activists JaGoFF/theRecordIndustry.com, this columnist/blogger and others will take place starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the venerated school at 4544 N Lincoln.
The folks at 4 The Music.org also are conducting a petition drive against the ordinance.
The issue, it's obvious, is anything but dead.
A big thanks to Jim DeRogatis for airing this issue so well. I just can't see why Chicago government is trying to silence the song birds of our society? I guess the new decency and transparency in government is a tough concept for those who are pushing the bill. The bill isn't even available to the public to read and it could be pushed through in a few days? How can the public trust those who are voted in to office when an ordinance such the "music promoter's ordinance" is not made available to the public? The whole process surrounding this ordinance sounds like the old smoky room version of Chicago government and that is appalling to voters and other interest parties. I and several of my friends come into Chicago mainly to hear the kind of music this ordinance could kill. We bring money to the city isn't that important? This ordinance is the DDT of new, independent music! There are those who, like Rachael Carson, are trying to save the singing. They need support! I hope that decency and reason reign over the greed this seems to be springing from.
A New, Independent Music Lover from out of town,
JoEllen B. Bunch
Thanks Jim for keeping the music community updated on this story. I was hopeful that it was dead after the uproar last year, but it's clearly not.
To Chicagoans reading this: Please talk to your alderman and Mayor Daley (4thmusic.org has an easy-to-use webform for this purpose). This ordinance has the potential to kill a lot of indie music promoters, make Chicago a less vibrant, creative city, and present difficulties to many musicians.
- Dawn Xiana Moon, singer-songwriter
Hi all - thanks to Jim for helping keep this issue in front of our faces.
Join us on Friday to learn what you can do to help stop the Promoter's Ordinance. Pick up materials to spread, send emails to the city, and more.
It's up to all of us.
ree Speech First Friday
Friday March 6th
6:30 Free Speech Song Circle (with Cathy Norden).
7:30 forum begins & we'll roll 'The CPO Kills Independent Music" all night.
The forum is an open mic for all to offer empowering ideas about what actions we can take to stop the ordinance. Jim Derogatis (Sun Times), Paul Natkin (Chicago Music Commission), Jagoff (creators of the documentary), and more Chicago musicians and activists will attend.
See you there!