Atlanta Wish List 2017

My wish is for more people, particularly young women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, to become active members of our music scene. I hope the existing spaces become safer for us all so that we can enact positive change and I hope more of us feel empowered to create these spaces and opportunities ourselves. I’d love to see us fearlessly fighting for our rights and for our visibility in a time that many of us are more fearful than ever. This can only be done if a strong support system is in a place for non-cis/white/het folks. We need allies and we need each other. I hope to see more empathy and compassion among all members of our artist communities, as well as a true passion and commitment to education and growth.

I’d like to see Atlanta seek treatment for its addiction to building condos, or if nothing else invest in some infrastructure to support the amount of people it’s currently absorbing. Personally, I’d love to see the city institute a smoking ban, but I don’t have much faith in that happening. It’s crazy to go on tour and be reminded that Atlanta is one of the few cities that hasn’t done it yet. Wouldn’t mind seeing another venue or two open up, but that’s probably a pipe dream, too.

In 2016, I witnessed the transition of many artists and arts organization. Growth not just from the creator or creative entity, but also on our impact on the community. Almost like a deep self-awareness of how arts and individuals can help improve our unity and give back at the same time.

In 2017, I’d like to see this growth continue, but also with the support of our political leaders, policymakers, and community members. Atlanta is changing at a rapid pace, and many resources are being allocated to development and expansion. We need to see this same interest in development and investment in the arts community that is already thriving organically. This is because, whether we want to accept it or try to deny it, Atlanta’s identity is rooted in the spirit of community and the arts — the drive for unity. Through our influence on music, creative arts, alternative media, and film worldwide, and investment in the individuals and organizations that boldly use arts as a platform, Atlanta can better serve itself and become a model for other cities in 2017.

Atlanta has so much going for itself culturally and musically. I wish for more and more artists to unite so the support system will become greater. There are many fragments and I hope folks can open up some more to other scenes. Me included!

1. More echo pedal on everything.
2. More dangly earrings.
3. More fog.
4. More dancing.
5. No more tough guy music unless you are a leather daddy.
6. A hanging metal cage to be installed above the dance floor at the 529. Kyle Swick hint hint.
7. A full blown disco obsession to spread over the city of Atlanta.
8. Matt Weiner and Stefan Ringer to make a concept record about “Grilling.”
9. Ryan Parks has to make a Fit of Body record every month for me to listen to. Only for me.
10. Mannequin Lover to actually bring a mannequin on stage and fall in love with it.

Atlanta’s an interesting place in a precarious time. I hope that we continue to rally. I hope that our citizens will civically engage this year and start asking questions of our elected leadership and put some thought into the policies and practices that are put into place. I hope that we hold our leaders accountable, and that they keep the people of Atlanta first and foremost in their thoughts and reasoning.

I hope that the Equitable building keeps its sign. The fact that the company left the building long ago is beside the point — “equitable” is a word we, as a city, should strive to define ourselves by.

I hope that our artists, musicians, and writers continue to provoke and engage us in meaningful ways and that Atlantans see value of their work. We need art and discourse more than we ever have, and if we can harness its potential, it could greatly affect how we define ourselves as a community.

More Abra and more Nag and more Pallas and more Sequoyah Murray and more DKA and more Art School Jocks and more Glare and more Arbor Labor Union and more Material Girls and more Jock Gang and more Pamela_and her sons and more Deep State and more Dot.s and more Fishmonger and more Shepherds and more Breathers and more Mutual Jerk and etc… I believe that Atlanta currently has one of the most exciting and vibrant music scenes in the country, don’t miss out — there is something very unique and special happening in our city right now.

I wish for Atlanta to stop uprooting families and their communities for the next mixed-use monstrosity.

In 2017 I’d love to see more new badass bands popping up with unique sounds. We got lucky in 2016 in this department with new groups like Piss Shy, Pay To Cum, Fishmonger, and more, and I’d love to see a continuation of that in the new year. Also accountability for sticking up for what’s right. If we have microphones and outlets where people are listening to what we say, we as a community need to be more vocal about standing up for the right thing.

I hope in 2017 people in the Atlanta music scene try to be more understanding. At the end of the day, at the end of the show, everyone in our scene is human. Which means two things. First, that we’re all the same. Whether it’s your first show here or your thousandth, whether you’re gay or straight or somewhere in between, whether you’re male or female or other, regardless or race, whether you wearing something cool or not, whether you have money or not, whether you’re from the city or suburbs — we all deserve to go to shows. No one owns the scene.

Second, being human means we’re going to make mistakes. All of us. I’m going to make mistakes, you’re going to make mistakes, the singer of your favorite band is going to make mistakes. As a community I hope the music scene learns to be understanding of its members imperfections and empathetic towards those who’ve admitted wrongdoing, apologized, and are genuinely trying to be better rather than being vindictive and judgmental.

Also stop standing outside while a band is playing, it’s fucking rude.

For me, I think I’d just wish for a fresh face forward. 2016 has been a rough year for a lot of people, it seems. Maybe we’re all the death rattle of an arts community struggling to hang on in a city that’s exploding with development, or maybe we’re all just getting older and our heroes are dying. Whatever it is, 2016 just felt like things were falling apart everywhere, and I’d like 2017 to feel like we’re working at building them again.

Personally, I would like to see the city come together and fight back against all of the development and backroom government deals being made that affect us all. I often pose the question of what comes to mind when an outsider thinks of Atlanta, and the answers are muddled. If we could join together with a unified voice and intention, I think that would go a long way in establishing Atlanta as an international voice worth paying attention to. It’s not that we aren’t currently worth listening to, but it’s convincing everyone else that we aren’t the backwards, blindly conservative, copycat city that we might be perceived as. Art and artists can have a huge role in that, the way I see it, so we are presented with a great opportunity if we should choose to pursue it. More so than politics or economic status or new bike lanes, the art that comes out of a city is the most honest and lasting representation of the heartbeat of the communities that live there. We are a diverse and inclusive city full of genuinely really nice and caring and smart folks (which actually can’t be said for a lot cities I’ve traveled through). Atlanta is already great and we should be proud of that! Now let’s realize what those great things are and tell everyone else about them.

2016 was worse than a three-day hangover. Everyone died. Kanye didn’t. Masquerade made the move to Underground. We slept through the primaries and ended up electing our way into an idiocracy. In the immortal words of Collin Guy, “Struggle is fertile ground for creativity and this year’s strife will likely spawn some amazing punk rock.” This is why my greatest wish for ATL in 2017 is solidarity. Even if we can’t all agree on whatever issue at hand, we can foster a community of respect and equal opportunity for all who wish to voice their opinion. And also for all those who are whining and complaining about the state of affairs to ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Start a band. Write a blog. Pass a petition. Paint a mural. Let your voice, however you choose to express it, be heard.

I wish for all of us to help do more uplifting, and help cultivate an Atlanta creative culture of healthy mental, physical, and spiritual self-development within all areas of the community.

When a man/woman masters self, they can help bring change to all around them — African Proverb

My wishes for Atlanta in 2017 are probably too idealistic, but that’s just how I am. I want to aim high, and stay vigilant when things don’t work out. Positive change doesn’t happen overnight, especially just because January 1st hits. Here’s a partial wish list at least. I wish for none of Atlanta’s DIY scenes or art spaces to get shut down by greedy developers or militant conservative snitches. I wish for absolute safety for those that need those spaces, too. I wish for more diverse lineups genre-wise; I think it’d be great to see some of Atlanta’s hip-hop artists on bills with indie rock or pop bands especially. I wish for a solid grip of local and diverse talent at Shaky Knees, and selfishly, if Tim Sweetwood wants to give the band that I play in a long look, that’d be perfect. Tim, if you’re reading this, we’re called Pony League. I wish for my label to get a summer showcase together finally. I wish for more activism, fewer condo developers, some affordable housing on the BeltLine, a public transit option that goes to the new Braves stadium, and for our new soccer team to kick ass. And I really wish that the Trump nightmare would end.

My wish for 2017 is for our creative community to stay focused and inspired. The election debacle has motivated many of us, and I hope that we use our anger and our passion to build a more collaborative and inclusive community.