Rockbites: San Francisco musicians movement accelerates

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October 2000 • Rockbites Alternative Daily

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San Francisco musicians movement accelerates
23 October 2000

As Rockbites first reported in September, a conspiracy of economic factors and greed is threatening to drive away musical talent from the San Francisco Bay area. The problem has been brewing for years, but the defining event was the mass eviction earlier this month of 500 bands from the city’s largest rehearsal space, Downtown Rehearsal, as owner Greg Koch sold the building to JMA Properties.
    Members of the evicted bands have now set up the nonprofit group The Organized Tenants of Downtown Rehearsal, along with a new Web site (saveart.org—see our link), with the singular goal of securing a new place to practice. Many of the former tenants also participate in the recently formed organizations Save Local Music, Rock Out SF, and the Popular Noise Foundation, all of which are intent on saving music in the Bay Area.
    Owner Koch agreed to pay the former tenants US$750,000. Of that sum they will use $500,000 to prime the fund for a new building, to be supplemented by donations, grants, and benefit concerts. The transfer of money is on temporary hold while a single tenant remains in the building and vows to fight—but both sides expect the settlement to go through shortly.
    Here are some upcoming SF events to help save local music

27 October along the Critical Mass bike route, starting at Justin Herman Plaza at 5:30 pm: Rock Out SF II, where all local musicians are invited to set up and play to publicize the plight of local music.

5 November, noon - 6 pm: Million Band March and Anti Gentrification Celebration, from 18th and Valencia to Civic Center Plaza. Artists playing and celebrities speaking at the Plaza include Jello Biafra (ex Dead Kennedys), Mark Eitzel, Victoria Williams, John Santos, Lysa Flores, Sister Spit, DJ Polywog, Cloudfactory, Kirk Hammett (Metallica), and SF Supervisor Tom Amiano. For more info see the Rock Out SF site.

26 November at local venue The Bottom Of The Hill: the Organized Tenants are holding a combination benefit concert and yard sale of sorts—a bunch of band equipment was left behind following the eviction. Proceeds from the event will go to the building fund.

You can donate over the Web to the Popular Noise Foundation, with contributions to be tax deductible. | Save Art/Organized Tenants of DR | | Save Local Music | | Rock Out SF | | Popular Noise Foundation | | top of page |

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