Timely Scare Tactics
Watch for a front-page scare story in tomorrow’s Seattle Times warning parents that their kids aren’t safe at All-Ages shows.
The Seattle Times’s evidence: Only 1 promoter in town, Mark Johnson, has an active AADO license. The Seattle Times will then ask, given that there are up to 30 all-ages rock shows a week (but only one city-approved all-ages promoter who has undergone the AADO’s required background check): How can parents be sure that their kids are safe?
In addition to the obvious answer: You can never be sure your kids are safe unless you lock them in the cellar—there are a couple of other key facts.
First of all, there’s no track record of trouble at teen rock shows. Last week, The Stranger filed a public records request seeking all reports of disturbances at Seattle’s all-ages venues to find out for sure, but we do cover the scene religiously, and in the 4 years since the AADO was passed, we’ve only come across one problem incident. That incident involved a gang called FSU, and it was promptly handled by the SPD, who arrested the gang members—not using nanny-state teen dance laws—but existing weapons laws.
And the reason there’s no track record of trouble at teen dance venues? Because these venues already have the insurance and security that an AADO license mandates. AADO licenses are intended—not for venues that put on rock concerts (which explains the apparent discrepancy between the number of teen shows and licensed promoters)—but rather, for private promoters who want to rent venues to do dances. The fact that most all-ages shows are taking place at regulated and properly-licensed clubs that don’t need AADO licenses to do shows, makes the background check issue less problematic.
However, the event had 19 security staff—more than 6X the number the AADO requires.
More important, neither Anderson or CHAC should be held accountable, even by implication, for the deranged actions of Kyle Huff which took place over a mile away at a home on Capitol Hill.
This is ultimately the problem with the pending Seattle Times article. They have seized on the recent tragedy under the premise that it bears some connection to teen dance rules. Their goal all along, it seems, is to print scary headlines in the hopes of sparking a clampdown on our local music culture.
Read all about it in the Seattle Times tomorrow probably.
And they wonder why they’re losing young readership?
I heard that Kyle Huff used the toilet in the downtown Nordstrom once. There were unsupervised young people in the area as well. Clearly Nordstrom and Kohler are to blame for this tragedy.