Forum Post: Need an occupy woodstock (sort of thing)
Posted 11 years ago on June 17, 2012, 10:52 p.m. EST by francismjenkins
(3713)
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Sounds trivial, I know, and it probably is trivial, but good music brings people together. And I'm not talking about small potatoes bullshit, I'm talking about a Woodstock, in Woodstock (which is only about 2 hours north of NYC).
Take it on the road and make it a major city tour. The OWS Summer 2012 Experience.... NY, Chicago, DC, Charlotte, Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Memphis, Denver, Seattle, Portland, Oakland/SF, LA...
Political essays between bands... speeches from people foreclosed on by banks, confessions by ex-bank execs...
Absolutely, it would be great if it were nationwide (like a lalapalooza), with a Woodstock event (over a weekend). Obviously you'd want dozens of bands, as many big names as we could get, and be all inclusive (punk, indie, conventional rock, country, etc.). Of course we'd want speakers. People who talk about personal experiences, people who have been foreclosed on, vets, homeless people, and also well known people (I mean, why not).
The focus, raise awareness, organization building, fundraising, etc.
The 4th of July would be perfect - but there is so little time.
Not enough time for 4th of July (plus it conflicts with the national event in Phili). This would take months of planning (maybe September is more realistic, but that may even be too soon).
I sent out a general tweet asking what everyone thought about having a save the world from corporate greed corruption and abuse concert.
Cool ... thanks bro!
It is a great idea to have a concert. Think of the kind of information that could be shared there. You had a brilliant idea.
Wow just think if it could be pulled off in Philly.
Too bad there is not enough time.
I would bet a ton of money no band will forego their appearance money. It will be a moneymaker for them but a loser for OWS.
No it wouldn't ... I mean, event organizers get paid (but I do obviously acknowledge that there's a danger of this sort of thing, if we do this improperly). Also, occupiers will be volunteers, our homeless will be provided for, there will be zero tolerance for physical assaults of any kind, we will do this correctly or not at all (or at least I won't be a part of anything that's done improperly, without safeguards against malfeasance, or without precautions to protect the physical safety of everyone).
absolutely
Do you realize how costy it would be? the logistics are pricey!
I mean, we have to (I think) be able to think both small (local) and big, at the same time. Changing the world is a big project, so I'd think organizing a concert is small potatoes in comparison :)
no it would'nt assuming bands want their bucks it would still more then pay for itself in PR and draw people into the OWS like never before. It will be the biggest legitamizer we could have
this is the smartest idea I've heard yet on here, only problem is it's too late in the yr to put it together for this summer
Probably (which I do of course acknowledge), but what about next spring? Moreover, what about starting with smaller events (which could be put together more rapidly), building up to something like this? Little concerts in parks, on college campuses, small venues that donate space (or are cheap to rent out, like VFW halls), I mean, there's a million ways we could approach this.
People are I think undervaluing the power of music. Rock and roll was a big part of how the 60's moved along and became so successful. Not to harp on the whole 60's thing (I wasn't around back then), but it worked for obvious reasons, and reasons that are just as relevant today.
Sort of a no brainer?
That is an awesome idea -- I'm down for seeing some Rage against the Machine.
[Removed]
I really liked Dylan when he could sing, but can we leave him off the venue this time. Joan Baez always had bigger cahonnes than him anyway.
love dylan but right now he's best on old vinyl so agreed
When i visited Sweden last summer, a friend's daughter had just seen him at a music festival. I asked her how she liked Dylan. Without hesitating, she said he sucked. I had seen him about 15 years ago in VT, and he sucked then too, but in his time, he was great.
"FILM THE POLICE" B. Dolan ft. Toki Wright, Jasiri X, Buddy Peace, Sage Francis
Occupy is already running out of steam. Spreading in even more directions won't help. We used to be about economic problems, now we are reclaiming pride parades, that is our problem. Instead of doing something new, we should go back to our bread and butter, Occupy should reclaim its own identity has an economic protest.
I agree 10000000% ... but why would that preclude steps to build awareness? I mean, we're losing steam for a reason, simple math, we need more people (and this is about getting more people).
But dude, I'll say it again, this is all about economic problems, also racial injustice (and probably a zillion other things), but it all converges on economic problems.
It doesn't seem to be converging on economic problems as of late.
I hear you .... but if we don't step up, then this thing dies, and nothing gets done about our economic problems (or anything else).
The way to step up is not to relive the past (Woodstock), or to worry about stuff like reclaiming the pride parades. We need to talk about the really big problems in a clear and precise way.
I wasn't around back then (so it's not my past), but music and art ties together with vision. At this point, you can talk all you like, but if you're talking to yourself (and maybe 20 of your friends), it doesn't really matter. Concerts like this attract thousands, nationwide, potentially hundreds of thousands, and strength comes in numbers (and this is one major reason why 60's protesters succeeded).
I mean, if people want to give up on old ideas, then why dust off ideas (from the 19th century) like anarchism (or Marxism) that no one is buying? People like ideas like participatory democracy, people want a bold vision, innovative economic ideas, and people still love music. Not very complicated, we don't have to reinvent the wheel in some cases (and this I think is one of them).
With the pride parade thing, I'm not even sure what you're talking about (I haven't heard about this). If people want to do gay pride parade sort of stuff, I'd say go for it (we can support more than one thing)? But in the case of concerts to rebuild momentum, this is something directly relevant to our core economic grievances. Like I said, if no one is listening, we can talk until we're blue in the face, we can tweet all fucking day long (until our fingers fall off), but if we can't produce 100,000 protesters in the streets at some point in the near future, we'll just wither away.
I was around back then.... and it creates solidarity.
There is another added bonus. You want people to sign petitions to 1) reinstate Glass-Steagall, 2) overturn Citizens United, 3) term limits? What better group to canvass for signatures than the audience at some monster shows with an OWS theme?
true
also, why not protest the trans pacific partnership
it's want's to assert corps over nations
and people like to get out
Anarchism should definitely be dropped. It's dead. Ask jart to tell her friends to go home.
How about an anti-religious and anti-capitalist death metal festival for OWS. Let's call it - From Corporate Hell We Raise!
Pink Floyd's The Wall is going to be played in Québec city this summer. That's the final show. Ironic because of the student protests "We don't need no education, we don't need no thought control." And, of course, the tickets are super expensive since the music business is now hard core capitalism.
don't get me going on the wall, one of floyds worst albums. with the exception of 2or 3 good songs. of all the last tour albums to do this is what waters goes with? I would have killed to see a "wish you were here" tour or " silent sound of thunder" (before you say it side B)