So I was supposed to post things like "this is one spin off of the new primitivism movement" and "this brooklyn duo..."
But that won't happen. As soon as my foot touched the Stuy Town grass, I heard Mary Pearson say, "Thank you, have a great evening". As in, I heard Mary Pearson say, "Hey slow poke, the show ended before it even begun for you. Try being on time!" That's it. "Have a great evening." Damn. But don't be fooled, I still have something to say.
Summer in the city has always been full of music, but it seems that concerts are even appearing in the city's butt cracks this year. I don't mean butt cracks derogatorily...maybe I shouldn't have used that term. Listen, all I'm saying is people are getting more creative with venues, and I think it's a good thing. It reminds me of site-specific pieces or Le Blogotheque minus the French. ALL. SUMMER. LONG. I mean, stuy town? REALLY? At least one of Robert Moses' (many) failures can be used for some good- for anyone that can show up on time. Unlike me.
The crowd was very placid. Yes, a bunch of artsy kids in the middle of "the projects" are expected to be a bit on the quiet side, but I wasn't quite expecting deafening monotony. Even the children in the playground seemed to be under the constraint of some large mute button. Were people *gasp* listening to the music? I don't know. I wasn't there.
Anyway, I happen to like what I've heard of High Places. Even if they play the same song over and over again, I kind of enjoy listening to that one song. I've tried to pinpoint their sound, and I've realized I can only describe it this way:
Imagine watching 60's rerun television with your children on some sort of imaginary (hence the word imagine) legal hallucinogen- it must be legal. You and your children watch some show that has something to do with a washing machine filled with adorable children's clothing adorned with cartoon characters, small pieces of metal (nuts, bolts, etc...), and fragrant bubbles. Lots of bubbles. You just drank some tea with honey, and you and your children begin to sing. It's windy outside.
That whole scenario is what High Places sounds like. Go listen. Don't go to myspace.com/highplaces. You'll get this guy.
I've had enough of these 'I should have been there' posts. You should be sick of it too. REVOLUTION IS NIGH- I'm going to be on TIME.
High Places, Stuy Town Oval
Posted by
Rae "OUTdependent"
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high places,
stuy town,
stuyvesant town
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6 comments:
Just FYI...Stuy town is luxury apartments NOT the projects.
page 156-158 of "The American City" by Alexander Garvin:
"In 1943 Mayor Fiorello La Guardia and Parks Commissioner Robert Moses persuaded the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company to join with the city government in a major slum-clearance project...Both Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village seemed to justify the need for a modern residential environment. Life in these projects was so much better than anything around them that applicants clamored to get in"
The way I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong), they were meant as an alternative to the suburbs, but failed. It never reached full occupancy, despite Robert Moses' bigoted, manipulative attempts. Stuy Town is commonly thought of as a failure of the of Courbuseian-style of redevelopment.
They're built in the traditional plus-shaped project design. That's the main reason I call them projects. So whatever they say on their website, I call them the Stuy Town Projects.
So if you went to see a concert at PS1 would you say that you attended a show at a public school or an art museum?
Calling Stuy Town "the projects" gives an inaccurate depiction to readers who are unfamiliar with the area, which is poor writing/journalism.
OUCH! Well, I don't consider myself a journalist in this instance. I'm a blogger. The difference being (according to me in my own particular circumstance, I don't know any official definitions) that bloggers write from their hearts and journalists mainly attempt to be give people facts and inform.
P.S. 1 isn't a public school, but developments are referred to as projects. Garvin refers to them as such. Stuy Town is not currently low end housing. You're right. I'm not completely sure of the history behind its occupancy, either. I admit that (again). My intent in calling them projects has already been explained and I'm not going to belabor it. That's what I said and that's that.
Anyway, comments are an essential part of the communicative/informative process of having a blog. So now people are aware thanks to you, Mr. Anonymous (or Mrs...let's not be sexist here). But it's kind of a moot point (to me). I'm going to finish talking about music now, since that's what this is here for.
Bloggers are still writers, and it's poor writing.
It's very suspect to use the word in this way, "a bunch of artsy kids in the middle of 'the projects,'" and then claim, "They're built in the traditional plus-shaped project design. That's the main reason I call them projects."
You may be writing "from the heart," but use some brains about it.
PS1 was originally built as a public school...therefore, by your logic, I should always call it as such.
anonymous #1, you really need to calm down about the projects. Perhaps you are attempting to defend an area that you live in?(I may be assuming something inaccurate, to which i will apologize in advance).
"The projects" was originally a type of design...unfortunately it has become a symbol of crime, racial discrimination and poverty. Truth is, there are great efforts to bring the projects up in "prestige," which often comes with the process of gentrification-- a continuing cycle of pushing poverty to a new location without actually addressing the root issue.
This is not to say that gentrification is totally a bad thing, but it leaves a lot of open questions about the socioeconomic divide.
Perhaps you negatively associated the blogger's "liberal" use of "the projects," which seemed to hit a personal nerve... and i think it is important to remove personal frustration in assessing someone else's writing.
This whole argument has brought up (in my opinion) some very fascinating questions about how different people view different areas-- which may not always be due to ignorance, but rather a constant changing socioeconomic dynamic--
I think it is best to assess this complicated topic at your leisure, but I hope I speak for many others when i say i just want to leisurely read about music, not a dispute on the projects.
Thank you,
Anonymous #2
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