I know I mainly have been talking about the whole relationship thing lately as what's due I mean it is within my life and especially close to my heart so naturally it gets first billing...However Today I want to discuss something that happened not too long ago in the community that kind of bummed me out...
One night I went out with my friend Lee and my boytoy Dom we met up with some other people out in the bar and had a nice night... we ended up at my cousin Holly's house for an after bar party and her house was crawling with local musicians as her boyfriend plays in a band ( as well as my boytoy drummer ) Anyway we were discussing the local venue which is a art gallery/ music showcase and hangout of locals esp the teen crowd... it caters musically to the musicians playing original music such as hardcore and punk ... 80% of the population of the place when in operation were between the ages of 15 and 20 pierced and tattooed... many colors of hair and hairstyles... lots of mohawks, people... Just my type of place eventhough I am a 30-something mom of two... Dom plays in 4 bands all of which play there ...
Anyway the night of the party, the place went up in flames around 4 am... I had found out later that some of the people at the party had lost their instruments in the fire... Luckily Dom's drums weren't there that night.
There has been such controvery about the place ever since it opened... eventhough it was billed a drug/tobacco/and alcohol free place the neighbors ( local uppity merchants ) felt the need to criticize the kids who hung out there because the didn't fit the norm so they were singled out to be BAD.. so not the case, many of the kids are extremely intelligent, volunteering their time to different projects in the non profit gallery... yea as I cannot speak for all there were some that liked to maybe smoke a little weed and whatnot but that happens everywhere...
I don't know it is just a shame that the fire happened... Right now as benefits the kids are offering up basements and places to hold shows to raise money to help with finding a permanent home for their beloved hangout... It will be a while before I can wear my " Save a drum, bang a drummer" shirt to a show but I have donated what little cash I could to help out... Kids need a place to go, even if it is to go see a bunch of grungy punkers play what may or may not be deemed music... at least they are expressing themselves...
If your interested here's a story the local college paper did
If it hadn't been for Dom I don't think I would care so much, but this is his place, and these are his friends... They are good people...