this is just a long meandering that i’m putting as a caption on an insta post w/ screenshots of 8/25-27, an ABSURDLY GOOD WEEKEND FOR MUSIC, absolutely CRAZYTOWN, but alas i will be there for none of it bc i have (finally??? possibly for the first time??????) been bested by covids :'( also tho adding the # for getting paxlovid even if you don’t have a doctor (212-268-4319) bc in my personal & v limited experience paxlovid rules???
okay here’s the other rambling…
UPDATE: my listings for the pioneer works commuter series originally had various kinds of ranting abt nasdaq (as below!), bc they were co-presenting the events –– but after discussing on the social mediaz, pioneer works has removed nasdaq from their series page & asked to have their signage removed from stage for future commuter series events; HURRAY!!!! big thanks to kwami winfield for being the face (/technically hands) of that debate, & may the ppl who sent me aggro DMs plz have a great nap!!! :D
UPDATE x2: a lot of ppl asking HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE well okay so *my understanding* = times square arts asked a bunch of orgs / groups –– including PW, rash bar, elsewhere, jazz at lincoln center, & more (full list here; note that on TSA’s site the pioneer works listing does still say “Presented by Nasdaq,” but like, this is just now happening, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ i’m not gonna fuss at ppl yet lol) –– to do these times square series things, but TSA didn’t mention the whole nasdaq sitch at first, meaning PW didn’t know about it at the time they invited their residents to perform. granted PW doesn’t seem to have been bothered when they found out, cuz they put it on their website & went thru the first 5 wks of the series with “nasdaq” everywhere, but it makes sense that they don’t feel ~married~ to the sitch if there’s criticism: it wasn’t their deal in the first place!
this is maybe how this shit happens tho, right??? like various institutions & orgs work together on things, ppl get invited to do stuff, & late in the game someone mentions that it’s sponsored by BANK OF MURDER… & most ppl shrug & are like, “well i didn’t make the deal with bank of murder,” & a few people go “oh damn i REALLY *DO NOT* wanna play next to a BANK OF MURDER sign, but i also literally cannot afford food????” personally, i do not currently have the cash to pay august rent in 3 days; if someone offered ME a super well-paying BANK OF MURDER gig, i would PAUSE.
this is why it’s so important that institutions protect artists from yuck affiliations!! if you are in a position of authority at your org, say something when you see the BANK OF MURDER logo so yr artists don’t have to –– & if someone points out that the BANK OF MURDER sponsorship is a bummer, do the excellent thing & just say “hey yeah you’re right, it is, lemme take care of that!!!” :D
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ORIG POST (7/26):
i just wrote a BIG RANT on nyc noise under an event happening today, july 26, & i have another (recently-expanded) large rant under an event happening a month from now, on august 26 –– & i think in the interest of condensing the main-page seething, it’s time to move them to blog, aka a new tool for managing my feelings both more privately & more publicly!!! :D
☑️ [OUTSIDE!] • 5pm: Pioneer Works x Nasdaq (???): Soless Dialtone @ times square, bway & 43rd, mnhtn //
even after rebalancing, >40% of the nasdaq index is a crew everyone calls “the sh*tty seven” (trust me, u don’t need to check) –– microsoft, apple, alphabet (google), nvidia, amazon, tesla, meta –– & while we all luv kwami, WE DON’T LIKE BIG TECH!!
this specific case aside, it’s great when institutions offer artist residencies, but remember that the institution is still the primary beneficiary; they generate more capital (of all kinds) from an affiliation with “their” artists than vice versa. this is still way better than nothing when the Moneyed Institution holds up their end of the bargain, granting artists resources & “exposure” without compromising their reputations or subjecting them to feelings of ambivalence, guilt, or shame about where the money comes from.
spots like pioneer works are very aware of their rep & community outcry, & they will change course if they see they’ve missed the mark (for example, last year PW quietly backed out of a deal after being accused of complicity in a luxury developer’s artwashing initiative)… so the question is, what are our standards for how institutions treat “their” artists? personally, i think protecting artists from gross affiliations is the barest minimum, & orgs should stop inviting artists to play events presented by nasdaq (pw) or bank of america (roulette); it’s bad enough laundering the reputations of bad actors for cash, but it’s unacceptable to make “your” artists appear complicit in the “artwashing”–– especially given that none of the artists i’ve spoken to were *told* who was presenting these shows.
& also… [CLICK 4 MORE WORDS + IMAGES]
latest version @ nyc-noise.com/rent-rollback/
[when blog “posts” grow up, they turn into pages!! :’)]
let’s gather resources on rolling back rent!! :D
bc if it doesn’t happen soon, then THE PARTY IS GONNA END
& WE WILL NEED TO FIND NEW HOMES </3
here are some 1/4-page flyers u can alter & distribute at shows to encourage yr pals to request their rent history!! i spent approx 2 mins on them & will likely update; u can probably make something much better, but sometimes it’s just nice to have a sh*tty starting point –– & i am here 4 u with sloppy drafts!!! :D
[PDF download] • [Pages download] • [QR code download]
the QR code takes you to this page: https://app.justfix.org/en/rh/splash
w/ a short/simple form to confidentially request yr rent history in 30 seconds
the bottom link is to https://www.justfix.org/en/learn/rent-history-101,
large text-ily subtitled
Rent History 101: Is your landlord illegally overcharging you?
here are some highlights:
i’m gonna make stickers to give anyone who has EVER donated to nyc noise, or gone to nyc noise shows prolly too, & hopefully more will donate via patreon (or open collective, tho i think i need a fiscal sponsor there whoops) or let me know if there are better ways to money??
anyway lmk if u like any of these as stickers; i put 4 Entire Minutes of work into this, so.
(or if i should go less snark idk ?????????????)
STICKERS: today they’re about my avoidance & discomfort with asking for cash!!! :D
OR…
latest version @ nyc-noise.com/summerstage/
[when blog “posts” grow up, they turn into pages!! :’)]
6.8.23 woke up thinking about summerstage sponsored by capital one, a bank that’s f*cked even for banks; posted this to site & instagram // “continue reading” for text
i wrote in a thing that “nyc noise is the city’s largest resource for venue wheelchair accessibility,” but i wanna be clear that it’s NOT COOL that this is true: that element of the site needs a LOT of work, it will take more people / info to make it a truly useful resource, & this is not my area of expertise.
however!!! i am an expert at bugging people until i get information & gathering data on smaller-capacity spaces… so! i’m asking lotsa wheelchair users & disabled artists for input / tips, all database info will be made freely / fully available to The Public once it’s cleaned up, & anyone can hit me up for access to the spreadsheets (w/ the disclaimer that i still need to confirm & clarify lots of info!).
if u are disabled & luv live music (especially if u live in nyc & use a wheelchair or other mobility aids) &/or if you work on accessibility in the arts, plz get in touch!!! <contact@nyc-noise.com> i’d love to get feedback on stuff like sample language for websites, & long-term would like to have most listings link to [someone else’s] Real Disability Site w/ expanded venue profiles.
