Notes From the Grid is a bi-weekly column about the Columbia County music scene written by Rob. It is featured every other Friday in the "On the Scene" supplement of the Hudson Register Star. See all »

November 23, 2011

City Government and Music

Government and Music – a Peculiar Pair

One thing about Hudson, a good thing, is that it’s easy to put on a show. I’ve written a few pieces about how music in the churches, galleries, retail and public places is a frequent occurrence around here, especially up and down Warren Street and these events are pleasant diversions both for both the visitor and the resident. It’s nice to know that there are enough like minded individuals who enjoy the the odd distraction of shared music in a pocket park or on a street corner and here in Hudson, we may actually be starting to take it for granted. On a single weekend or evening there might be a show at a book store or in the 7th Street Park, a show at the riverfront, the Opera House, Helsinki, maybe a movie in a park or some buskers at the corner of 5th and Warren. There’s a lot of reasons why, but one of them is not discussed very often and I think some credit should be given where it is due.

The City of Hudson likes musical events and they make it fairly easy for there to be a lot of them available to it’s citizens. There are a few levels of support or encouragement - buskers are generally not hassled, permits for bigger operations are available and can be obtained with less paperwork than in many smaller towns. Get yourself an empty building, a temporary beer and wine permit and a good band and away we go. Renowned acts Vetiver, Men, Diane Gluck and Meshell N’Degeocello are as likely to pop up in a temporary venue or on the riverfront as in the more traditional venues like Helsinki or the Basilica or Time and Space Limited. Believe me, I’ve been organizing shows in this area for a long time and a lot of communities are suspicious of musical motives and indifferent to the benefits of live music. Not so Hudson.

I was talking to my friend Geeta Cheddie the other day. Geeta is Alderwoman for the first ward and sits on the City of Hudson’s Arts and Entertainment Committee so I asked her where music ranked on the priority list as far as funding goes and I was surprised that her answer was so immediate and passionate.

“Number one. Music is paramount.”

It seems there are a lot of art, local food, antiques and restaurant associations in the area and there is county tourism money for most of the arts as well as for youth education but not so much in the support of music so it is important for the city to help finance musical incidents which will benefit the community. Thus far this has been been apparent through Hudson’s continued support for cultural and musical events, especially higher profile celebrations at the Henry Hudson Riverfront park, though as Ms Cheedie points out, more can be done. This past summer there have been a number of innovative celebratory events at the riverfront which have been organized and facilitated independently of public aid, for instance, the recent wonderful impromptu Bengali Cultural Fair and the Annual Hudson Black Arts and Cultural Festival and Parade. There is often public money available to assist with these events and promoters and organizers need to know that –  The City of Hudson is receptive to bright ideas regarding the enhancement of our hum drum lives with a bit of musical amusement.

The North Korean government controls music and art and uses it as propaganda

The mechanics of a city government are often creaky, dry, raspy and hesitant but my conversation with Geeta gives me a sense that we are mostly moving forward here in Hudson. There has been an agreement that the green area in front of the County building will be made available for events (once the remodel for handicap access is completed). Money has been made available for the arduous task of putting on a summer concert series at the riverfront park for the past few years, there are city representatives like Ms Cheddie and Third Ward Alderman Ellen Thurston who make themselves available for solving problems like electrical access and public restroom (at the riverfront) or what permits are needed for mass gathering, vendors etc. Ellen has organized and run a number of events herself and is a great source for checklists of mundane things like venders, tent rentals etc.

Geeta likes to think of herself as a “go to girl” for mundane and unique problems - if the toilets are not flushing correctly she will stay on task until they are fixed. Her discussions about musical events are as likely to explore options of lighting trusses or the safety of a stage as they are about entertainment. She is supportive of innovative approaches to otherwise traditional concerts such as last summers’ shows involving circus performers, belly dancers and hula hoopers. I’ve helped with these shows for a few years and have noticed that Geeta is usually at every event, folding chairs, helping with performers merchandise or calling DPW about glitches. Though not a musician herself, she is an adamant proponent of music. I asked her what she thinks is important about government involvement of musical events.

“The community must benefit”

“Musicians must be paid, we cannot ask these people to work for nothing.”

I like the sound of that, as far as musicians go, there sometimes seems to be a mythology that if person enjoys their work they shouldn’t expect to get paid for it. When a musician plays for free, it is a gift they are giving to us not a duty that we are owed. There are not many electricians, lawyers or sales clerks who will work for free in the hopes that someone will notice them and give them a paying job, but musicians are often asked to perform gratis “for exposure”.

Another thing I like about Hudson is that whether it’s art or music or antiques or bed and breakfasts or hotels or Chinese restaurants or pizza or music, we all all of different minds. If a an out of towner asks a couple where is a good place to eat, the conversation may last fifteen minutes. Voices may be raised. It’s similar with the music scene, we all pretty much like music, but no one is in charge of how or where or when or the type available though plenty of people think they are. The City is not in charge, the hipsters are not in charge, nor is the Opera house. The Register Star? Um… nope. Not me, not you, not the radio, not her, not him, not Helsinki, not Basilica or anyone else. Music in this town is like the viral Honey Badger on Youtube – it doesn’t care – it does whatever it likes and the events keep on getting bigger and better and evolving and scattering into heretofore unimaginable directions. It’s nice to to live in a city that attempts to encourage rather than control the arts, they don’t always get it right, but I’m glad they’re trying.