🤷🏾‍♂️ I’m confused… somebody help me out here. It’s articles like this that disturb my chill.
Title says: New Orleans in the age of coronavirus is quiet and strange. But like after Katrina, musicians and artists are planning a revival
Article says: Trombone Shorty wants to drone from his roof (I can help you with that Lil’ Homie)… another dude been working on Bourbon Street since he was 8 years old (speaks volumes if you’re really interested)…
Article ask: “Is it like Katrina in New Orleans?” is the question that keeps recurring. It’s the event by which all disasters are measured.”
Article concludes with: “New Orleans survived Katrina and that makes its people feel like it can defeat anything. That’s New Orleans. Stay strong, stay firm and be for real and come back and do what you been doing.”
My problem with the article: WHAT IS THE REVIVAL MUSICIANS AND ARTIST ARE PLANNING and WHO ARE THE ARTIST AND MUSICIANS PLANNING IT?
My question: What is the revival plan? Who’s planning it? When will it be announced? How do New Orleans “musicians and artist” get involved?
My summary: These are the kind of articles that hurt the culture and cultural economy more than embracing the culture. It’s a feel good story with no resolve. Overall, it insinuates that the streets are quiet without our entertainment, but “the city” will return when this is over, because, you know, free music and dancing, that’s resiliency. But there’s no mention of economic support. No mention of PPE or small business support. No mention of millions of dollars being raised on “behalf of the culture” but never trickling down. No mention of financial or economic incentives.
Dear author, New Orleans musicians returned from Katrina broke, broken, battered, bruised, and with no plans or support mechanisms in place so we were forced to do what we do best, using our talents to pay the bills. Truthfully that’s resiliency. And that resiliency is no different from rebuilding your life after a house fire or tornado. But due to coronavirus, Ruth Chris’ received $20 million and Shake Shack received $10 million, and the New Orleans airport received $42 million. New Orleans musicians are still trying to receive $600 weekly unemployment benefits,
7 weeks into this pandemic!
—Dr. Brice Miller, founder @The New Orleans Music Company
NOTE: Read the full article here: New Orleans Musicians and Artist Revival
I AM DR. BRICE MILLER 