Katrina Steier, Managing Editor
Dear offended readers,
I apologize if I upset you with my personal opinion. An editorial is not always about objective facts; this was merely a projection of how I feel. I was suggesting that the music here does not cater to my particular taste, which is why I want to book some bands that do. For those that are satisfied with the music scene here—awesome, that’s great. If you like jam bands, or funk or whatever that’s cool by me, but it’s not what I’m in to, and I don’t see why I have to be. I can’t force you to like Passion Pit or whatever “hipster” band I happen to like—and I wouldn’t want to. While I have seen some good bands pass through, it’s not as often as I like, so I want to fix that. At first when I wrote it I decided to be as highly opinionated as possible, to get kids to read and talk about it and get impassioned about something. But it seems it was too much, and people took it very personally, which is regrettable and almost cool but not really. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and so am I as far as I know.
Note: The article was removed because comments became threatening, unnecessarily aggressive and inappropriate.
For a lot of us, we’re commenting out of confused frustration, and in defense of the hard work we do…not to offend you. To write the way you did in a public area like that was inappropriate and immature, but that doesn’t mean your input itself is not appreciated.
The comments were unnecessarily aggressive and inappropriate because your article was…
Glad I am getting a little recognition for what I do in this town, it honestly means a lot. If you’re interested, I wrote a response “op-ed” to the original article. A lot less aggressive than the anonymous posters on this site, but I think I get the point across. Let me know what you think.
http://weightandmalice.tumblr.com/post/12272319005/in-regards-to-oneontas-music-scene-as-seen-on
You say you want bands like Passion Pit but no club (aside from CUAC) or any person could ever afford to do something like that. The people who book shows in Oneonta do an amazing job within their means. You say you want to start “En Masse” but where would this funding come from? What kind of bands would you book? You need money to make it happen and the bands you could afford of said genres wouldn’t draw because no one would know who they are. Band are books in Oneonta because of who they draw. What you want is great, but not do-able. Go to a MIC meeting before you talk about what you wish this place had. You could have given your input on who to bring. But instead, you write an article that is basically bashing what everyone is doing.
Booking aint hard.
You can get a lot of good bands for just a couple grand.
Better than Everclear, Eve 6, Pit Bill…
Everyone could spend their time taking someone’s opinion piece and transforming it in their minds into a personal attack letter, or (if you are happy and proud of the music that gets booked around town) just keep doing what you are doing. Realize that the fact that you work hard to get the bands you and your friends want to see is irrelevant to the fact that Oneonta’s music scene is definitely stagnant. I’ll admit that perhaps nothing can be done about that. I can offer no solutions. Money is definitely tight with everyone booking shows, and bringing a genuinely great band from outside the area is often not feasible. But don’t get too upset when someone takes the time to point out their disinterest with the way things are, and makes an attempt at changing them.
It is interesting that the MIC’s solution is to go to the meetings and suggest bands. How many people outside of the industry major even know what the MIC is? If one person showed up and wanted to book a band that the elected officials didn’t like, would the request even be considered? Who represents those who don’t know about the meetings? I can say with confidence that an overwhelming majority of people in the Music Industry major have musical tastes and interests far away from my own. This is not inherently a bad thing, but it does make diversifying the types of bands that play in Oneonta a difficult task.
Perhaps we should cool down a little bit, and give support to anyone who would like to initiate a bit of change.
Everyone has their right to an opinion you are completely right, but what we were trying to convey, which got lost in the angry comments, is that their absolutely is a place for you in this music scene you have just been refusing to open your mind. Most bands I have booked or have been in have been highly influenced by Talking Heads which have been influenced by Electro-Pop, FUNK and AFROBEAT. Three genres that have been blowing up in Oneonta but they are not just the main genres. Other genred shows that have been in Oneonta in the passed year include but are not limited too Ska, Punk, Funk, Dance, House, Reggae, Indie, Metal, Hip Hop, Folk, Country, Afrobeat, Trance etc.
You let your anger and ignorance get the best of your article because you didn’t convey it as the scene doesn’t “cater to your particular taste.” You made it out to believe that it is just complete garbage. I encourage you to bring bands and artists that you like just remember that you’re going to need capital (money that you worked for no ones going to hand it over) and bands that people are going to want to listen too and obviously if no one would have wanted to come and watch shows that my various peers (with their own booking agencies) and I then we would obviously be forced to stop.
One day you will live life with an open mind and heart for all things musical and learn to be tolerant to the people around you and your surroundings. Oneonta may not be much but living here has been a big influence on my personally and musically and if you take a deep breath, soak it all in, and hell maybe learn an instrument and contribute you’ll appreciate life in Oneonta more.
Start of with Underground System Afrobeat:
Underground System Afrobeat is one of the many amazing acts that performed at the livelive music festival last may. They are heavily influenced by Fela Kuti who is an african musician who heavily influenced the talking heads.
Also the SUCO Pop band, a SUNY FUNDED ENSEMBLE is putting on a whole night of talking heads at the end of the semester. I expect to see you there.
Come to a Music Industry Club meeting then. If you did, you’d know how hard they try to bring what students want. If you’re not voicing your opinion to someone that can do something about it, bashing them when no one reads your mind just makes you look dumb.
MIC only promotes punk rock, metal, or alternative
I also prefer house shows.
I don’t feel bad for what I said before. You were rude and threatening so I was aggressive. You didn’t state an opinion, you launched a verbal attack. Then, because someone stated their opinion, you deleted the article. If you’re going to write something, the least you can do is show some backbone. Now you just proved to all of us that you don’t have any integrity. Cheers to that!
This is a sweet comp with some sweet Oneonta bands, get informed.
http://slaughterhouse10.bandcamp.com/
You should stop getting so defensive about this and realize that you have a duty as a journalist to present your opinion in a tasteful manner. I hope the fact that you acknowledge that you have offended your audience and yet continue to write in a smug and snobbish fashion has caught the attention of your employer. You chose the wrong forum to express your distaste for the oneonta music scene, and it is clear that you don’t know very much about it. So take it from all the students who you just pissed off, we’re fine with our scene and we’re proud of it.
Glad I’m getting a little recognition for what I’ve done in the past, that honestly means a lot. I wrote a response to all of this on facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/notes/steve-layman/in-regards-to-oneontas-music-scene/10150452800178993
if that doesn’t work, go here.
http://weightandmalice.tumblr.com/post/12272319005/in-regards-to-oneontas-music-scene-as-seen-on
let me know what you think, Katrina included. I hope I made my “op-ed” a little more tasteful.
I’m sorry people didn’t take your article as well as you’d thought, but remember that many people reading your articles are highly involved in the music scene in Oneonta and are proud of what they do, so when you write a scathing article like that, you’re bound to get some feedback. That being said I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who share similar tastes in music with you, and you should talk to them about booking shows that cater to your interests! Facebook: The SUNY Collective, liveLIVE!, Steve Layman, The Music Industry Club, CUAC, The Oneonta Theatre, or any local band. I’m sure any and/or all of these people would be interested in booking music you like!
For someone who’s so hip and music-minded why would you namedrop Passion Pit? Sup 2009 entry-level chillwave jams.
The only problem I have with this town is that they offer no other styles/genre of music but punk rock, metal, alternative >:o
Dear commenter #21,
YOU’RE in college now (I assume). Please learn the distinction between ‘your’ and ‘you’re’ before you go and call someone else a bad writer. Perhaps you should enroll in a composition class yourself.
Thanks,
Rachel
It’s okay if you want to share your opinion, even if people don’t agree with it. It’s okay that you feel like your tastes are underrepresented here.
What was wrong with your article started in the title. “The Hills Are Alive With the Wrong Kind of Music”.
“Wrong Kind of Music”.
“Wrong”
What? You contradicted yourself so hard in your apology. You’re saying that you didn’t mean to offend anybody, you were just expressing your personal opinion. Your opinion doesn’t give you the right to say the music here is “wrong” because you don’t like it. Whether you realize it or not, you were openly bashing the bands that DO perform here and the ones who bring outside bands to our town.
Start En Masse. Bring your own bands. Bring change. That’s all well and good, but you are not the authority on “good music”, especially if they’re hipster favorites.
Can you please post a copy of the controversial article for those that missed it?
you’d think an editor for a college newspaper would have at least a slight inclination in the way of good public relations
Please post the comments. Some of us are interested in what others have to say.
dear author of comment #9,
i posted the article in a comment, but she didn’t approve it and thus it was not posted. i would be glad to send it to you if you message me on facebook or via email
-dan
Your a terrible writer… and i actually AGREED with you….but your also forgetting if you actually went to fine arts weekends or julia’s open mic night, or the MIC club there are HUNDREDS or rock bands and other shit…. 50 bands tried to get signed by Red Dragon Records. open up your eyes and take a composition class
De gustibus non est disputandum.
#25, Amen!
Did anybody notice that this was published in the Opinion section? The girl’s allowed to express how she feels. Those that provide entertainment in town and on campus are providing for everyone; we’re all their customers, including Katrina. If anything, they should be evaluating this and seeing if there are ways to improve what they’re doing, instead of lashing back.
Katrina,
I totally agree with you. Perhaps the use of the word ‘wrong’ was probably, well, wrong. But only because it seems to only take your opinions into account. Besides that, I think the article was what anyone interested in the music scene around here needed to to read, regardless of how closely they are involved.
This school does emphasize music as a profession but I have heard many Music Industry majors themselves complaining of the lack of talent and direction among students. It is good that student bands put on shows, they have to start somewhere, but in my opinion, most of them should be kept on campus…I know I don’t want to pay even half the cover charge they ask for most of these bands and I don’t. They have taken over my favorite bar and I’m very sad about that.
The fact of the matter is, making it big as a musician is hard, and the musicians that I think you may be referring to in your article are probably painfully aware of that which is why they have reacted so aggressively. It sucks to hear that you suck.
There was a time when I enjoyed listening to jam bands, but that was a time when I was really drunk.
It is foolish to expect an article about music to be all praise and glory. Not all music deserves that.
Dear Dave (#19)
I disagree with your stance on the MIC. You said, “If one person showed up and wanted to book a band that the elected officials didn’t like, would the request even be considered? Who represents those who don’t know about the meetings?”
I know for a fact they have members outside of the MI major. I know that because I was one. They work very hard to go to Open Houses, Club Expo’s, post flyers, get info in the weekly broadcasts to let students know about their club.
The MIC does a great job bring talent. The year I went before I transfered they had As Tall As Lions, Fireworks, Big D and the Kids Table, fun. Good Old War and Person L. That might not seem like a huge range of artists to you, but it is….if you take into account the budget they get. These clubs do an amazing job with what they’re given. But it is also a club to learn how to book shows. It wouldn’t be fiscally responsible for them to book what students didn’t want to hear. Why? Cuz then no one would go and no tickets would be sold. They take into account what will do well.
They had pop, ska, alternative and pop-punk that year. They chose great bands that year based on what was going on in the music industry. They didn’t book according to personal preference. While yes they want to bring bands they all love, they also have to bring bands their club was like.
The first meeting of the year the club asks who everyone wants to see. And they really do take that into consideration. But if only one person asks for it, and not a lot of the main music supporters on campus (who are at that meeting as well) agree, whats the sense in pursuing it? They can’t make everyone happy…but they do try and make the majority happy.
House shows are the worst trick in all trickery.
Bands that can’t book shows invite all their friends over for a party,
Charge them to get in,
and force them to listen to their band!