10 Questions About…

Since Patrick is gone I’ve become a little creative in childcare and going out schemes, which really means I try to find more family-friendly night time activities and I drag Aine. One such event was Futurity – a musical at the Walker. We walked in (8pm on a Friday) and Aine asks – Why are there no other kids here? I mean there aren’t even any 19 year olds.

Well, because she is much cooler than most kids and the reward was a very fun steam punk show. Here’s the description of the story from the website…

As the Civil War rages around him, Union soldier Julian Munro and Lord Byron’s brilliant daughter, Ada Lovelace, attempt to invent an omnipotent steam-powered brain designed to save humanity before it destroys itself. Featuring up-and-coming Brooklyn indie-rock band the Lisps, this quirky new music-theater piece melds traditional Americana, Brechtian choral elements, and avant-rock, resulting in a unique and compelling portrait of war, human imagination, and technological hubris.

Last night I attended the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information (COGI) John R Finnegan Freedom of Information Award ceremony at the downtown Minneapolis Public Library. COGI is a nonprofit organization of librarians, lawyers, journalists and information fans who strive to support access to government information. (I used to be involved with the group.) Named for John R Finnegan, former editor of the St. Paul Pioneer Press and recipient of the Heroes of the 50 States: The State Open Government Hall of Fame award for 2011 from the National Freedom of Information Coalition (NFOIC) and the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), the Finnegan award has been awarded annually since 1989.

This year the award went to Matt Ehling founder of Public Record Media, producer of ground-breaking documentaries, such as Open Source, and creator of “Capitol Conversations”, a weekly live-streamed political talk show broadcast from the capital featuring lawmakers, political pundits, analysts and reporters.

Ehling gave a gracious speech, calling the award the Heisman Trophy of information awards as he shared his passion and views on government transparency. He spoke of how tools that promote government transparency, such as the Minnesota Data Practices Act serve to provide access to information to the general public, but they also support policymakers in their efforts to provide oversight and, finally, access to information provides a common ground for citizens and policymakers on all sides of an issue. Ehling cautioned that access to information was like a muscle – it will atrophy if unused. We need to keep MN Data Practices Act vibrant; we need more partners; we need to keep the idea of transparency alive for the next generation.

“Democracy’s a messy thing,” observed keynote speaker Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman, echoing Ehling’s call to action. She recounted her experience at the Republican National Convention in 2008 as an example of the power and impact of transparency, or, if not transparency, at least the power of getting information to the people. Talking about the RNC in the Twin Cities is a tricky proposition, because most of us have our own memories, but in a way, Goodman drew many of us closer, because I suspect most of us in the room were the people getting the information to more people in one way or another during the demonstrations.

A quick reminder: Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar, all credentialed journalists from Democracy Now, were arrested at the RNC as they covered the demonstrations. Video of that arrest was the most-watched video on YouTube for the first two days of the RNC, which certainly facilitated their early release. The three went on to sue the St Paul and Minneapolis Police Departments and Secret Service for their treatment. They were awarded $100,000 and St Paul was required to develop a more appropriate protocol for handling First Amendment issues with the press and public in similar situations in the future.

Goodman borrowed from Woody Allen to say that 90 percent of life is showing up. It’s true for journalists; it’s also true for engaged citizens. She praised the independent media, the libraries, the dissenters. She told the story of Hans and Sophie Scholl, German Christians who published and distributed pamphlets during the Holocaust shining a light on what was happening in Nazi Germany. They risked their lives (and lost) in an effort to bring information to the people.

Goodman finished by reading from her latest book (Standing Up to the Madness); she chose a chapter called Librarians Unbound and a story of librarians who refused to share patron records with the FBI. It was perfect for the setting and amplified the heroic deeds performed by people who showed up and did the right thing in their quest for transparency and providing access to information.

This week a new club opened in Minneapolis –The Brick. It’s coporate owned. It’s moving into a town that has a lot of love (mostly) for the existing clubs, such as First Avenue. And in fact I have to say that First Avenue is bar none, the best club I have ever visited. After First Ave, we have a lot of good places around town that play a nice assortment of local and national bands. So maybe we don’t need a place like The Brick – but they got Jane’s Addiction for the opening night. So I wasn’t turning that down.

Billy and I went. We showed up about 5 minutes before Jane’s Addiction started to play (after a great meal at 112 Eatery) – and it turns out our timing was amazing – beucase apparently there had been a huge queue to get in if you were early – there were just a few people waiting when we got there. There wasn’t the best vibe in the world around the place. Tons of cops and security guards. Billy said it was nearly as bad as when Rage Against the Machine played during the RNC. And the security guards were dressed like every popular-yet-evil guy from any Molly Ringwald movie circa 1983. And I think there were frisking most people at the door – they looked at me and let me walk in. (I like this think it’s ‘casue I’m a girl; it might be because I’m old.)

But we get in and our timing is perfect – so we’re happy. But the place is super crowded. We go up to the top floor. Useless – I can see nothing. Billy can’t see much more. Billy suggests we try a monitor – but they too were from 1983 (super small) so we moved on. Second floor wasn’t much better. There balcony overlooks the stage – but it’s too deep. I bet the folks hanging off the balcony got a great view – everyone else, not so much.

So we head to the ground level. I kind of have to mention here – that the bars weren’t super impressive. We must have walked by a few – but they weren’t very appealing. Now we were focused on getting to a place where we could see – but we’re usually easily distracted by beer.

Anyways we finally sort of snake into the big crowd downstairs. We’re nowhere near the stage – but at least it finally feels like we’re at a concert. And actually we have plenty of space because we’re behind one of the many columns that seemed to wreck sight-lines all over the floor. The crowd was generally pretty happy – mostly 30-somethings would be my guess. But with all of the security, I think people were kind of looking for injustices too. And there was a least one couple that didn’t seem to realize that if you’re going to make out the whole time – courtesy dictates you find a wall!

The one thing that I didn’t love was the huge amount of secondhand smoke – not from cigarettes. I know I may be in the minority, but that’s not a value-add to a concert for me.

Jane’s Addiction was good. Who can resist Jane Says or Stop. They got everyone going – depsite the fact that even they could clearly feel the bad vibes. In fact at one point Perry Ferrel called out the bouncers – sugesting that if they didn’t stop the agro that they might haev a riot on their hands. (Probably not – again the crowd was 30+.) But I’m sure that management heard the call from the stage.

I could see the members of the band occasionally – when someone ducked down in front of me or someone on stage jumped. They did have the dancing girls on an upper part of the stage. So if you’re into dancing girls – you could see them. And Perry Ferrel is pretty theatrical so I could see some of the acty parts of the act. I’d say you’d be hurting if you were seeing a stand-and-play band (which is often the kind I like best).

We left not loving the place – but thinking it was a pretty good night. So imagine our delight when the complainers of the world united, took to the social media airwaves and scored everyone their money back!! (In fairness the tickets were $65/ea and there were a lot of issues.) The big question is – would I go back? I guess that depends on who is playing.