The Agenda

With so many bands, groups, troupes, and DJs at IndieArts Fest 2008, The Agenda saw an opportunity to ask the entertainers some questions about the City of Providence.

1. Is there a lack of diversity in music venues in Providence?
   The ‘Mericans: No - you just have to go to places you don't usually go to
   Nick de Paris: Needs more electronic but getting there.
   Ty Jesso: There is plenty of musical diversity in Providence if you like DJs, but where has all the live music gone to? There are too few live venues, too few bands, and the live music audiences that you used to see out and about would rather sit, drink and listen to DJs in their fave local bars. Not a complaint, I guess.
   Swiss Chemistry Club: Safari Lounge; the old Green Room (before it started trying to look all up-scale-y); Fort Thunder; One Up; I liked the Liquid Lounge until it started looking like it was trying to be an upscale Hooters.

Wunderground at the RISD Museum

by Matt Obert

Providence has a love/hate relationship with underground art spaces, unlicensed show venues, and unauthorized posters wheatpasted in public areas. On the one hand, you have the official story, and on the other hand, you have the true state of affairs. Sometimes, it seems that one hand doesn’t know what the other one is doing. On the one hand, we love to boast that our city is “friendly to artists,” and often cite success stories from the grubby underbelly of the Renaissance City to prop up this point. Wunderground: Providence, 1995 to the present, showing at the RISD Museum now through January 7 of next year, fairly bursts with examples of this kind of success story. Eight established and respected local artists (alphabetically: Mat Brinkman, Brian Chippendale, Jim Drain, Leif Goldberg, Jungil Hong, Xander Marro, Erin Rosenthal and Pippi Zornoza) were courted by RISD Contemporary Art Curator Judith Tennenbaum to co-curate these exhibits. After the shows come down, the museum is slated to close for extensive renovations — which affords the museum a rare opportunity to give these rowdy young artists temporary free rein without worrying too much about the cleanup afterward.

PROVIDENCE, September 10, 2006—For Sale: 12,500 square feet of Prime Studio Space – Only $175,000 – Easy financing! Affordable artist studio space – priced to sell!

Formerly for rent at $15* per sq. ft., you can now buy it for $175K! Located in an historic mill building in Eagle Square, this space has high ceilings, giant windows, yada-yada. Conveniently located within walking distance of Shaw’s Supermarket and the burial ground of Fort Thunder.

Oops – sorry – this property has already been sold! You are out of luck. Good luck finding space elsewhere.

The Revolutionary Importance of the Tavern

Contrary to popular history, the first major act of the Revolutionary War was not a Tea Party in Boston. On June 9, 1772, shattering voices and the burning of a British ship hailed the first overt act of the American Revolutionary War — right here in Rhode Island.

H.R.M. Gaspee tattoo on the arm of Bob Goudie, by Federal Hill Tattoo.

As any other bar in Providence today might be crowded on a week-night, in June of 1772 Sabin's tavern at Fenner's Wharf, near what is now South Main and Planet Streets, was packed. But two hundred thirty years ago, talk and gossip included revolution and world-change.

words Jed Arkley | photos Frank Mullin

Summer’s gone — that much is certain. Sure it’s still warm out, and the sun’s shining a lot — but everyone knows it’s over. No one’s even thinking about throwing another party. And as for a barbeque? Forget it.

by Ted Rao

Continued from http://agendanation.net/20/yurdin

Like Yurdin, this race marked Ethan Ris’s first run for elective office. A former president of the Brown Democrats, Ris, 23, teaches eleventh and twelfth grade at The Met School in Providence. His political experience includes serving as a U.S. Senate Page as a teenager as well as volunteering full-time on various political campaigns. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brown with honors in the department of History. Ris entered the council race prior to David Segal’s decision to run for State Representative. He was endorsed by the Ward One Democratic Committee.

by Ted Rao

In the wake of Providence City Councilman David Segal’s decision to run for retiring State Representative Paul Moura’s seat in the General Assembly, Ward One (encompassing the Fox Point and a portion of the College Hill neighborhoods) has produced two energetic and vibrant candidates for the office. Both candidates were eager to share their opinions on the state of the city and neighborhood with The Agenda.

The Democratic Primary for this race took place on Tuesday, September 12, along with the other fourteen ward primary races for city council in Providence, in which all but one ward’s seat was contested by a total of over fifty candidates. Space constraints force us to print only excerpts in the paper, and to devote more space to the winner of the race; the full interviews are available exclusively online through agendanation.net.

The Strange Story of the LUV's

by Eric Smith

On September 2nd, 2005 the L.U.V.’s reunited for the first time since their breakup in 1999.

Providence, Rhode Island, April 28th, 1998: The L.U.V.’s were on the Met Café stage, a few weeks after winning the WBRU Rock Hunt and nearing the pinnacle of their short and frustrating career when their dancer, Roxy Lady, having just quit the band onstage in front of several hundred people with a vitriol-laden kiss-off, emptied a can of mace into guitarist Kevin Bowden’s eyes. A riot ensued and the Met’s entire audience emptied into the street. What was supposed to be a triumphant celebration of their newfound local domination had reached its dark zenith. Although the band would play on for another year or so, the descent had begun and the good times were ending.

It's New! It's Yours!

by Jean Cozzens

During the month of March 2006, at the Fox Point Branch of the Providence Public Library, we built a giant cardboard city as a collaboration between a whole bunch of people, ranging in age from two through grandmother age. The outcome of the experiment was entirely unknown: introduce a bunch of scrap cardboard, hot glue, “conventional” glue, scissors and X-acto knives and duct tape, and boxes and boxes of fabric, junk, and random materials from the Recycling Center into a branch library that regularly serves as the vital after school hangout spot for kids from the Vartan Gregorian Elementary School down the street—with one local artist/designer as mediator, and three willing librarians as facilitators and cheering squad.

How To Have A Riot: A True Tale of RISD and Brown Students Gone Wild!

by Alex Lukas

“Who expected Rhode Island School of Design and Brown University students, my god, you think they’d teach them a little more than that for the $25,000 in tuition they pay. You think they’d teach them a little more than to go to a pagan ritual and light a fire in a tunnel.”

Buddy Cianci, Mayor of Providence, May 2nd, 1993.

The RISD Tunnel is a setting for innumerable stories, a lot of rumors, and a few legends; any number of which, in all three categories, are pure bullshit. Rumors fly anytime there are shadows, and if there is one thing the Tunnel has a lot of, it’s pitch-black darkness. Talk of vampires, secret passages, giant rats, hidden entrances in East Side backyards and compromises to the structural city above are commonplace amongst those who talk of “the hole under Providence.” Both ends of the tunnel are sealed tight today (if anyone feels qualified to write a “How to Open a Door That’s Been Welded Shut” article, holla), trapping inside what was left of countless adventures, leaving us with only our memories. Everyone who has ever been there has their own, and for a certain generation, the very mention of the tunnel brings up one legendary story: the Riot.

City Council Protests, Is Dissolved

by John Taraborelli

• Art and culture are everything we do and everywhere we are.
• Art and culture are inalienable human rights essential to our survival.

featuring Zane Claverie and Quinn Corey

On Thursday, June 22, Firehouse 13 opened its doors to the public for the first time. Previously home to cadets in training for the Providence Fire Department, the building at 41 Central Street has been unused for many years now. The newly renovated three-story firehouse, purchased five years ago by owner Nicholas Bauta, is nearly ready for occupancy. The open house was a chance for the Firehouse 13 folks to show off the new facilities and some local talent.

Zane Claverie’s colorful collages spanned the length of the available wallspace in the experimental gallery. Every piece delves into a different theme and subject matter, each meticulously laid out in a chaotic jumble of imagery and found trash. The amount of imagery is staggering: from Tootsie pops, religious iconography, and instruction manuals, all the way to hardcore porn and back again, Claverie’s work is refreshingly honest. No inside jokes or artistic self-reflections here, only an artist working with what the world has left behind in its dumpsters.