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Wednesday, October 11, 2006

The Paradox

posted by on October 11 at 12:05 PM

As Seattlest reported this morning, Mars Hill Church has decided to take back the Paradox from the volunteers who are currently managing the space. It’s a big deal, but there’s a lot more to the story: The move has been in the works for the past week and is the result of a quiet meeting during which Paradox booker Alicia Blake was asked to give back her building keys and was told that her last show at the venue would be December 16th. Mars Hill’s reasoning? They want to tie the venue in closer to the church. But even they don’t know what that means.

It’s no secret that the controversial Mars Hill Church has subsidized the Paradox since its inception in 1999. In the beginning, members of Mars Hill Church ran and booked the space. It was the church’s way of reaching out to Seattle’s youth and securing a place in the local music scene. At the time there was no Vera Project, the Teen Dance Ordinance (TDO) was still in effect, and the struggling all-ages music community needed all the help it could get.

But as the all-ages scene changed, so did the Paradox. The Vera Project started up, the TDO was lifted, allowing bars to host all-ages shows, and control of the Paradox moved out of the hands of Mars Hill members, and the venue stayed afloat thanks to the hard work of longtime volunteers like Alicia and Promotions Director Liz Martin.

If you’ve gone to a show at the Paradox in the past year or so, you’ve probably seen Liz and Alicia—they’re always there, and they’ve worked hard to keep the Paradox an open and comfortable place for everyone. Not only do they not allow the church’s beliefs to affect the acts booked at the venue (neither of them attend the church), but they also show up early at each show to remove all church paraphernalia like newsletters, fliers, and bibles from the band load-in room (which doubles as the church’s foyer). To be at the Paradox was not to be at Mars Hill, and they made sure of that.

But at the end of this year, the Paradox will be switching management. As noted before, Mars Hill has decided that they want to pull the venue closer to the church.

In an e-mail sent out last night, Blake and Martin wrote:

Due to some internal changes happening within the church, Mars Hill decided to review all of their programs, including the Paradox. The church has made a decision to bring the Paradox in closer to the church, and we have been informed a group of Mars Hill members will be taking over Paradox operations. We were asked if we would like to take part in these changes, but we have both decided it would be in our best interest to not be a part of this new version of the venue, as we both would not feel comfortable working in this new environment.

This is the result of a discussion Alicia had with members of the church last week. At the time, Alicia hoped to completely separate the Paradox from the church and to continue using the Paradox name to book shows in Seattle (she’s been the reason it’s existed for the past few years, anyway). But Mars Hill representatives said the church wanted to keep the name, and not only that, take back the space.

Our nonprofit status is tied to the church, as are some of our finances, but this has recently come up as a subject both Liz and I have touched on, with the intent to separate the Paradox for the first time from the church. Over the past few months, Liz and I had considered a few different ideas, which included separating the Paradox from the church, possibly moving the venue and opening elsewhere. After a series of meetings with the heads of the church, we have found our vision for the Paradox does not coincide with the church’s vision.

After the meeting, Blake was asked to return her building keys. She also cleaned out her office, packing up demos and binders of booking information. And yesterday morning, the church made another bold move by changing the password information for all Paradox e-mail addresses, including Alicia’s personal address, denying her access despite the fact she still has a number of shows already booked between now and December 16. She was granted access later in the afternoon after she complained, but she still doesn’t have access to the Paradox’s e-mail list, website, or volunteer e-mail list.

With all the action the church has taken in recent days, you’d think they have big plans for the venue. But they actually have no idea what will happen with the Paradox.

Bubba Jennings, a staff member at Mars Hill who was part of the original Paradox crew back in 1999, says, “We’re still figuring everything out. We know we need to reevaluate the Paradox. All we know, we are most likely going to continue to do shows. We do want the Paradox to be a little bit closer tied in with Mars Hill but it doesn’t look like there’s going to be preaching at shows. We’re not going to do anything like that.”

So what are they going to do?

During a phone conversation yesterday afternoon, Jennings said: “We’re not really sure what we’re going to do. We want to continue to do shows; we’re not going to change anything, like the format or anything. We’ll continue to do the same type of shows and stuff like that.”

“You’re not going to change anything at all?” I asked him.

“We really don’t know. We want it to be tied in a little bit closer with the church and we don’t know what that means. The last thing we want is for the Paradox to become an inhospitable space to people that are not involved with Mars Hill. The whole reason Mars Hill has done it is for it to be a hospitable club to the city with no strings attached, and that’s going to continue. Mars Hill has probably invested probably over $400,000 in the Paradox over the years. And we really value the local music scene and want to see it prosper. I’m not saying the Paradox hasn’t been accomplishing those things, it’s just at a place where, you know, we feel like we need to reevaluate how can it serve the city best and we don’t really know what that looks like yet.”

Jennings also admits, though, that the change in management will leave some people to question the venue’s intentions.

“I think it will leave a lot of people to question and time will show the truth of what the Paradox is about. People should see it, taste it, touch it, and then draw their own conclusions.”

Yet, they still don’t know what “it” is or will be?

“To be honest with you, Megan, I had hoped we were going to have all of this figured out before we went public with it,” he said. “We don’t have all the answers yet because we weren’t planning on sharing it until we knew exactly what was going on.”

I asked him why, if there aren’t any plans for the venue, are all the drastic changes being made with such urgency. But he didn’t have an answer. It seems likely that the church lost track of the Paradox over the years, and didn’t realize that the venue had become so separated from Mars Hill. Once it came to their attention that the Paradox was seemingly out of their hands (with the exception of financial ties), they panicked.

The shows that Alicia and Liz have booked at the Paradox will go on as planned, with the last one taking place December 16. After that, the women have already started making plans for their new production company, Make Believe, which will continue booking shows (both all-ages and 21+) at various venues throughout the city.

RSS icon Comments

1

I can't believe that Mars Hill allowed two women to run the operation. I suppose that part of The Plan will now include some Clockwork Orange style reprogramming of these gals until they realize that they hate homos and need to stay home and have babies.

Given that their cult is so radical, the fact that they're finally taking off the gloves and operating openly as a membership prospecting club is actually good news, especially since there are a lot more all ages options now, though still not enough. I hope that the new, independent club run by the former Paradox bookers will be a huge success, and that the Stranger will support them and drop the Paradox.

Posted by Andrew | October 11, 2006 12:57 PM
2

Dear Dave Mienert:


Do these events suggest to you that Mars Hill saw The Paradox under Alicia Blake and Liz Martin as an effective recruiting tool?


Or does it look more like Mars Hill suddenly realized that from an evangelical standpoint they were, as I've suggested, wasting an awful lot of money on The Paradox?

Posted by robotslave | October 11, 2006 1:34 PM
3

I think the robot is right (or are you a slave TO a robot? That'd be pretty kinky.), it doesn't make much sense that mars hill has been supporting the Paradox in its current form. The venue will certainly die now, though. "and stuff like that" is a sure indicator that they don't know what they're doing, and the insistence that the format won't change is an additional assurance of the same.

Posted by Noink | October 11, 2006 1:59 PM
4

This finally paves the way for people of all ages to enjoy Buju Banton the next time he plays at Mars Hill. Now everyone's happy.

Posted by matthew fisher wilder | October 11, 2006 2:03 PM
5

Dear Slavebot,

It obviously wasn't effective enough. Doesn't mean it wasn't effective at all. And for sure we aren't hearing the whole story on this. So who knows. I just hope we see bands and fans with a clue not support this venue after Liz and Alicia are through with their shows. And I hope the community supports whatever Liz and Alicia choose to do now. They have an obvious talent for booking quality shows and hopefully they will find an outlet for this. They made the right choice to leave and it shows their integrity. I must say, it sounds like there is a lot of secretive shit going down we'll never know about. Bummer we're basically loosing an all ages venue, great Mars Hill won't be able to use the Paradox to recruit new members as it has been. I hope Megan stays on top of this story.

Posted by Meinert | October 11, 2006 2:05 PM
6

I think that Mars Hill could be successful in turning the Paradox into a christian music venue. There is a lot of music made specifically for evangelical youth. What I don't want to see is a denial of its Christianity. If Christian young people want to see Christian music, go for it, and if Mars Hill wants to recruit out of that demographic, they have every right to. It would be utterly terrible if the Paradox tried to continue booking secular music to attract secular young people for conversion.

Posted by Ari | October 11, 2006 3:14 PM
7

Dave:


Glad to see you admitting to the fact that Mars Hill was wasting money on The Paradox, if their goal was recruitment. Even if we take your friends-of-friends stories at face value, and buy your assertion that their conversion was due primarily to recruiting via The Paradox, it looks to me like Mars Hill spent about 100 grand per teen convert. And if they want to spend their money that way, I say let them.


I'll tell you what's going to happen to The Paradox now, and how The Stranger is going to cover it.


They're going to start booking overtly christian bands, and they're going to have overtly christian material decorating the place and sitting on the merch tables.


This, of course, will scare off non-christian concertgoers, so you won't have to nurse that recruitment paranoia of yours anymore.


The primary purpose of The Paradox will be retaining teens raised in evangelical households, just as with those Jesus Arena Rock events covered from time to time by The Stranger. And that is how The Stranger will cover The Paradox in the future: with the same superior, snarky tone, the same quotes chosen to illustrate dumb or not-very-christian ideas harbored by the concertgoers, the same visit-to-outer-space attitude on the part of the reporters.


The Stranger cared about The Paradox until now because the venue booked bands deemed Cool by The Stranger. Once Mars Hill stops spending money on bands The Stranger likes, and turns to christian rock like a good little doggie, The Stranger will stop caring about The Paradox, apart from the odd piece exotic-foreign-cultures reporting, or a bit of bwa-ha-ha-ing when the venue provides the setting for a violent incident, or runs afoul of this or that noise ordinance or tax law.


The Stranger doesn't give a rat's ass about bands playing in other local churches, and now they won't care about The Paradox, either.

Posted by robotslave | October 11, 2006 3:24 PM
8

I've been boycotting the Paradox for years because of their association with Mars Hill. I hope their bookers continue to do their great booking work at a nice, secular venue...

Posted by imaginary dana | October 11, 2006 3:34 PM
9

you need a reality check on all your comments above. That's all the time I have to waste on that.

Posted by Robo | October 11, 2006 3:36 PM
10

Robotslave,

Ouch. You sound a little bitter.

Matthew Fisher Wilder,

Ha! That is so awesome, thank you. At least Mars Hill and Buju Banton have something they enthusiastically agree on. Maybe he could be the house band?

Posted by Andrew | October 11, 2006 3:37 PM
11

First of all, yes, I will continue to follow this story. As close as possibly possible. I promise.

Bubba did say that the venue, if it does continue booking shows, would still book secular acts. They did in the beginning, he pointed out, and they still will now. The Paradox won’t be a Christian club, he said. How they’ll market themselves, I can’t say. I’m not sure that they could tell you. They seem a little flustered over there, and there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of communication happening regarding the venue’s future. Only time will tell what they have in store.

But to respond to what you said, Robotslave, about how The Stranger only supported the Paradox because it booked bands “deemed cool by The Stranger,” well you’re completely wrong. I supported the Paradox because I supported Alicia and Liz’s efforts. They were doing an amazing service for the all-ages scene, and they’ll continue to do so without the Paradox. For the past couple years they’ve been the heart of the venue, not Mars Hill. And I’ll continue to support them.

I didn’t like every band they booked at the venue, but I did appreciate every show they booked because it kept the city’s all-ages scene active. With the Vera Project not operating at full-speed while they continue work on their new venue, Seattle’s all ages community needs all the help it can get. If you look at the listings, most of the area’s all-ages action these days is sadly not in Seattle--it’s in Edmonds, Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, and Tacoma. And more than half of the Seattle shows aren’t at all-ages venues at all, but bars putting on all-ages shows. I’m thankful that those venues host shows for kids too, but this city needs more exclusively all-ages venues like it has had in the past—RKCNDY, the Velvet Elvis, 2nd Avenue Pizza, S.S. Marie Antoinette, etc.

With the absence of Alicia and Liz, the Paradox isn't the same thing. Even if they book the same bands, it won't be the same venue. Until Mars Hill figures out what they're doing with it, we’re losing a very prominent venue and the Seattle all-ages community is taking a huge blow.

Posted by Megan Seling | October 11, 2006 4:03 PM
12

Megan - good response and I would agree that your support of Paradox has been all well intentioned.

However, let's not be overly dramatic. Seattle and the Seattle area has one of the best all ages scenes around. Just as the Paradox completes their final Alicia/ Liz show, the Vera will open, which will be an amazing new venue, easily one of the best of its sort in the country. And sure, Chop Suey, Showbox, Neumo's, Studio 7 and El Corozon aren't all ages ALL the time, but they do a ton of all ages shows, so that all in, we have more all ages shows in Seattle than probably anywhere else in the country.

So yes, any loss of all ages shows sucks, but a 'huge blow' is an exageration. That said, I hope the community sees that Ballard and probably the U District could both use all ages venues, not to mention south Seattle. People need to step up and help create these. It's not easy, but is definitely worthwhile. Let's not depend on freaky right wing christian cults for support of our scene.

Posted by Meinert | October 11, 2006 4:30 PM
13

"Let's not depend on freaky right wing christian cults for support of our scene."

Well said, David!

Posted by imaginary dana | October 11, 2006 4:40 PM
14

We told you Paradox apologists. What you say now?

Posted by Gomez | October 11, 2006 6:31 PM
15

Bop Street Records next to the Tractor does awesome free all-ages shows pretty much every weekend, you can also browse the bins and get a hotdog from Dante's inferno hotdog cart out front! good times kids!...also Mr. Spots Chai House is all-ages till 10 (i think) and they have live music every weekend...Sunset does the occasional all-ages early show (next one is 6pm Oct 28th with Say Hi To Your Mom, Little Champions and Angelo Spencer)...and the in-stores at Sonic Boom are always kick-ass, freakin Micheal Spearhead Franti will be playing this friday at 4:30, crazy!

another all-ages venue in Ballard would be great, and the new Vera is gonna rule, but in the meantime seek and ye shall find

thanks to Alicia and Liz for continuing to put on awesome shows!

also thanks Megan for your excellent coverage of this and all of your tireless support of the all-ages action!

Posted by kwab | October 11, 2006 9:28 PM
16

Mars Hill and all of the recent articles bring to mind Jim Jones, The Peoples Temple, Guyana, Jonestown, Kool-Aid, White Nights. This is a dangerous group ok kooks. Five years something really bad will happen.

Posted by Joshy | October 12, 2006 9:17 AM

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