24 July 2007

Rally for the scene!

No, yes, I'm not talking about the bloody scene, but about the SCENE. The music scene. Here in Shreveport. Sceneport if you will. On Saturday, July 21st the SPD shut down a live performance by the Noids. A member of the audience clashed with police and was taken away in a squad car, bruised and cuffed. While the music-goers that day do realize that they didn't have permission to perform at Stoner Skate park, they feel that the police response was hostile to their art.

In response, a group of fifty-plus met at Big D's BBQ to talk about what happened, and what to do now.
The main points from this gathering:
  • we should have the right to assembly
  • it's extremely difficult to get the proper permission to have live shows on public property (Stoner Park)
  • other cities have instituted "Copwatch" to stop police brutality, maybe Shreveport should follow
  • city council is hurting our group of music goers
  • you don't want to get "labeled" as a terrorist by videotaping police
  • "we have to be involved"
  • go to city council meetings
  • need a all-age friendly venue
  • use contacts and connections
  • "let's make Shreveport cool"



The Noids have a comment on their myspace here and Port City Punx have a response here.

2 comments:

Hello said...

i guess no one feels the need to bring up the fact that there was a ton of underage drinking and illicit drug use among the concert-goers of that fateful night, which could have led to the arrest of many, many more there. or the fact that the concert was going on way past the city curfew of 10.

but i guess those two points doing really matter when POLICE BRUTALITY!!!!11!!! is involved. i'm not a fan of cops by any means, but i have a feeling this entire thing has been grossly exaggerated by the "punk rAwkoRzz" of shreveport.

-liz jackson

Anonymous said...

the incident that occurred saturday, whether or not one believes they are being blown out of proportion, should be carfully examined. no, there was no serious police beat-down-fest of the sort, BUT something must be done to combat unethical acts of agression by members of shreveport's finest. although the occurance was on a rather minor scale, the questions that they should and do incite are not on a minor scale at all. WHY were there kids out there to begin with? WHY did the avid young music-fiends of shreveport have to resort to the s'port skate plaza to play a free show? furthermore, WHY shouldn't local artists be allowed to play a free show at a public facility?WHY isn't there a relatively safe venue where kids can listen to music? WHY did it take a scene such as this to make people realize how quickly our only young cultural community outlet is deteriorating? yes, drugs and alcohol were present at the park. nothing said can justify illegal activity. do not, however, overlook the efforts made by a group of young musicians trying to bring their art to the public for nothing in return but a positive reply and a "hell yeah" from time to time. the show was an act of ingenuity, resourcefulness, and unity--there were no fights, no ill feelings amidst the gathered youth, no radical act of rebellion--just love of music and the need to watch it flourish by any viable means necessary.