Friday, November 17, 2006
Where are you?
Jim Fisher brought up an interesting point on his talk show Friday. Ellis Kell was in the newspapers editorial pages on both sides of the river asking for volunteers for the RME. Since about 70% of the citizens voted for River Renaissance; where are they now when help is needed? A healthy majority decided we couldn't live without the RME, and yet they can't beg voluteers to save it. To the people who voted for this; have you ever been there? Are you going to volunteer to save it, or just let us 30% who voted no help you pick up the tab when it goes belly up? If you really supported it; why are you deserting ship now? Are you going to the Figge to keep it going? You people who voted for it must have thought it was a sure thing. Can anybody tell us what happened? Or do you think the Adler is going to save the whole shooting match.
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6 comments:
Not that I should care (being an Illinoisan and outside of this voting dilemma,) but what I couldn't really get from Ellis' letter is exactly WHAT we should be volunteering to do?
I mean, I love music and all, but it sounded to me like the letter SAID "hey, please volunteer," but when you read it, it came across as more like "hey, please pay us money and come to our shows."
If it's true that the general public can volunteer for stuff, what exactly are we volunteering FOR?
Personally, I moonlight at another club in town that features live music that's NOT a burden to taxpayers, so the RME/Redstone is actually competition to my paycheck.
However, I'm all for increasing the QC's viability as a concert venue and a decent stopping point for bands.
And, hey, if there's something I can do for the RME in the capacity of a volunteer that doesn't conflict with my other job, then I'm all ears, honestly.
I think the RME was always the weak link of River Renaissance. Most would say it was the Skybridge, but I actually think that's the biggest success. Everyone who has out of town guests seems to take them down to the Skybridge, but who goes to a Roots Music Museum? So that failed, and now we have this performance venue that nobody voted for. I don't know what the solution is though, because I'd hate to see the 2nd floor go vacant. Maybe the Redstone Room will get popular enough to be spun off to a private company.
I think Ellis wants people to volunteer at the RME, and go to the shows. I went a few times, I'm not a night owl, but it wasn't bad. As for the weakest link; I think it was planning. They should have planned parking, instead of thinking everyone would use the ramps. They should have known approximate annual operating cost of these venues. And I never could figure out why they in competition of places already in business; and how the bids on construction got so far out of whack.
The Redstone is great and I go sort of often when they have a great band. I went last week and actually saw some of the board members. I was offended by how they treated the bar tender. They were a bunch of rich white guys who think their crap don't stink. No wonder the place id failing, what a bunch of blow hards. I doubt one of them could identify good music and they didn't know when to shut up. It is about support and leadership frankly and the leadership is weak, but don't tell them that - they think they are GREAT.
Remember it was 70% of the people who voted, not 70% of the general population. I realize that if you don't vote, you shouldn't complain. Just a clarification.
I should have said 70% of voters. Also the couple times I've been down there had to do with car shows and admission was free if you entered the show.
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