maybe it's time i throw in the towel...

[mycompassbroke]

it's hard work trying to be kind to everyone. it's hard work inheriting and owning a small business. it's hard work trying to build a music and art community in kalamazoo, a city substantially smaller than those with thriving music communities and hundreds of supporting diy kids and hipsters alike. mostly, it's just plain hard feeling

Comments

[velo_pour_moi]

clay it doesnt make any sense to give up. you just have to start getting to a younger crowd. or maybe people are ready for a new type of music? or maybe people arent really into the music at all and are loners? kalamazoo is a hard town to work with and you really have to be happy with what you have there, or move on. maybe thats why most people move on.

everyone is always looking up to the early 90's kalamazoo where things were this or that, but none of us lived there during that time. and yeah, there were probably great house shows and people coming out, but im sure there was still a lot of this drama. a lot of people not being "political" enough, not going to enough shows, whatever.

if you really want to make a "community" like you say, make it a diverse one. theres a food not bombs starting up there and maybe you should arrange a show with them? like airvestiblue said, make things a little different. the outdoor shows are always exciting. and i think alcohol does have a big play in this, people are so inward and dependant that they don't know how to be outward without it.

its a lot of younger people there. talk to the co-op house. take flyers there. hang out with those kids. if you really mean what you say about the "right look" maybe look outside of yours for people to hang out with? it seemed odd to me while i was there that the "hater house" kids didnt hang out with the "co-op/wmu activist" kids. or any adults really. i dont know. i have a lot to say and feel like little time to be coherent. hope some of this made sense and don't give up clay.