I’ll be covering the event for the Knick Ledger and might try to write a feature piece to shop around. Time constraints may prevent me from following through on that threat.

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5 Guys Fighting Presents the Areas Second Full Contact Mixed Martial Arts [...]]]> Below is the official press release from Five Guys Fighting.

I’ll be covering the event for the Knick Ledger and might try to write a feature piece to shop around. Time constraints may prevent me from following through on that threat.

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5 Guys Fighting Presents the Areas Second Full Contact Mixed Martial Arts Event

Contact: Shannon Miller5 Guys FightingCagewarsny.com 5guysfighting@gmail.com

Press Release

5 Guys Fighting and Cage Wars Ny Present Their Second Full Contact Mixed Martial Arts Event

Weigh ins open to the public and media tonight 10/25 at 6:30pm at Legion training facility located at 1208 route 146 Clifton Park Ny.

5 Guys fighting is proud to announce Cage Wars 14 the Capital Districts second amateur Mixed Martial Arts event.  Amateur athletes from around the northeast are scheduled to compete on Friday October 26th at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Albany. This will be the areas second fully sanctioned full contact fighting contest.  All the fight night action will follow similar rules and procedures as popular professional leagues such as the UFC, PRIDE, and IFL.  This event will be a followup of the highly successful and groundbreaking event held on August 11th of this year in which 5 guys fighting became the first promoter to hold a amateur MMA event in Albany.

Cage Wars 14 will feature contestants skilled in boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, ju-jitsu, and a number of other martial forms.  Contests will be held in a octagon and feature 3, 3 minute rounds. Our current fight card will include 3 Cage Wars championships. Sponsors for this event include Legion Training Center, Extreme Striker, New York Boxing and Atlas Jiu Jitsu.

Formed by Professional Boxer Shannon Miller and partners, 5 Guys Fighting has consistently worked to advance the cause of Mixed Martial Arts in the state of New York.  5 Guys Fighting has currently held 13 competitive martial arts events in venues around the Capital District and Western New York. We have conducted in excess of 140 individual fights and represent over 300 fighters from a number of gyms and schools.  As the areas premiere competitive martial arts promoter we offer an opportunity for fighters to compete locally for fans, friends and family at the highest levels with the largest crowds.

Doors open for the show at 7pm with fights starting at 8pm.

Please E-mail requests for additional information on rules, sanctioning, press conference, and access to the fighters to 5guysfighting@gmail.com

It’s going to be a busy March. Buckle up, kids.

TUESDAY, MARCH 6th 9:00pm
MICHAEL RAIVE featuring FRANK GENTILE
Hosted by KEVIN MARSHALL
Cost: FREE
@ Pinto & Hobbes (142 Washington Ave., Albany)

=== Download latest revision (PDF) as of 2/16/2012 ===

The idea was to make the process simpler and to tie [...]]]> Yesterday was the Common Council Planning Committee’s meeting and public discussion pertaining to the Albany Cabaret License legislation that would see changes to the way live entertainment is regulated in the city of Albany.

=== Download latest revision (PDF) as of 2/16/2012 ===

The idea was to make the process simpler and to tie it to the actual business rather than the land. Currently, a cabaret license is obtained through a clumsy process that results in a one-time $125 fee and is granted to the physical land. Which means that not only does it transfer to new businesses, but also new landowners. This new law, which if approved would go into effect April 1st, would hold specific businesses and business owners accountable for obtaining and renewing their cabaret license annually.

The most alarming aspect was addressed in a revision made two weeks ago. Basically, the application process was going to occur behind closed doors at the City Clerk’s office. That lack of transparency caused many, including myself, to remark that it made the process seem dirty and as if they were trying to pre-emptively shut down what they deem undesirable businesses, which would lead invariably to discriminatory practices muddied with political and racial biases. Thankfully, someone listened, and the process now has been completely changed to include input from various agencies and open it up for public comment.

The other major downside was the cost. Originally the range was a minimum of $300 to $900. The price has been brought down drastically, and is tiered according to capacity:

Up to and including 150 persons $150
151 to 300 persons $200
301 to 500 persons $300
501 or more persons $500
for each year or fraction thereof.

Note: if a venue has multiple rooms where events can be performed, there is a surcharge of $60 for each additional performance space.

Still very expensive for small businesses. One of the points I made to the committee was that many folks (and unfortunately one mustached member of the council whose name I unfortunately didn’t get) have this idea that businesses can afford whatever the city throws at them, what I referred to as a “tophat and monocle” image of small business owners. The reality is far different, particularly for those that own small coffee houses in the city limits.

One of the compromises in a recent revision attempts to address this. From Section 111-72 B:

B. Licensed premises that do not serve or sell any form of alcohol and whose amplification is only necessary for balancing acoustic instruments by means of a public address system or amplifier shall pay a fee of $50.

Again, it’s an earnest attempt, but done by people who don’t have a real working knowledge of  what’s going on in the city and a general trend throughout the country. Many coffeehouses do in fact have liquor licenses in order to supplement their income. There’s also the rise of the Wine Bar – we’re having one opening right here in downtown Troy run by city booster Vic Christopher – that’s serves as more of a cafe than a bar/tavern. So while it’s a step in the right direction, there’s still some work to be done.

While most of the revisions were for the better, there was one that seemed to be shoe-horned in by a misguided council member reacting to some anecdotal circumstance:

C. For the purposes of this chapter, a premises owned or occupied by a religious organization which permits musical entertainment, singing, dancing or other forms of amusement in said premises that do not coincide with a religious service shall be deemed to be  conducting a cabaret hereunder.

So basically, if a church is having a mixer, technically that can be construed as not “coinciding with a religious service” and subject them to needing to obtain and pay for a cabaret license. What I stressed to the members of the Committee and all present is that sometimes with a law like this, less is more. The easy way to fix this wouldn’t be to add more qualifiers as to what would be deemed as coinciding with a church or religious service, but to instead provide an exemption to all religious organizations. As hard as these fees will be for small businesses, it will be even harder for churches to cover them; they provide an invaluable service to underserved communities and, as such, rarely see the kind of cash flow that would justify the city charging them annually for a cabaret license. It would amount to the city looking like cruel overseers trying to draw blood from a stone, and all because one committee member was privy to an isolated incident.

This change is akin to someone getting cut off in traffic and, in response, trying to get legislation to make it harder for drivers to make a lane change. In that sense it serves as an apt metaphor for this whole process, which in my public comments I compared to taking a hammer to a housefly. Through the public’s input, however, we have seen a lot of changes made to the legislation that would make it more affordable and the process a lot more transparent and reasonable.

There’s still work to be done, but they’re getting there, thankfully.

As for Occupy Albany’s dog and pony show outside…ugh. Ugh ugh ugh. “Don’t tax the music” and “they don’t care about us” was the song being sung when I entered City Hall at 4:45pm and when I left at 6:00pm. The vast majority stayed outside, with only a handful coming in towards the end to get a sign onto television. They didn’t hijack the problem so much as embarrassed themselves by showing a fundamental ignorance or intentional misrepresentation (which would be worse) of the issue. It’s not a “tax on music” or “personal expression” as they were stating, it’s a tax on local business. Unfortunately the news cameras went right for them, which I saw coming from a mile away and had confirmed by several annoyed Facebook posts from people present at the meeting who watched the evening news.

My response: whatever. The circus ringmasters in television news media are naturally going to try to draw everyone’s attention to whoever’s rolling up in a clown car, so as cynical as it may seem, we can’t be too surprised. The good news, though, is that this process is moving forward in a positive way and there’s still time to provide more feedback and pressure to get the necessary changes made to make this a fair, affordable, and wholly transparent process.

PREVIOUSLY:

• Comedy, karaoke and Albany’s cabaret law (All Over Albany)
• Crashing the Albany Common Council’s Planning Committee Hearing (Kevin Marshall’s America)

An Open Letter to The Capital Region and Beyond

Many of you are familiar with, or have come to enjoy our monthly Laughs on Lark Comedy Showcase. We regret to inform [...]]]> Keep Albany Boring has an open letter from Matt Kelly, who organizes the monthly Laughs on Lark showcase for local and touring comedians:

An Open Letter to The Capital Region and Beyond

Many of you are familiar with, or have come to enjoy our monthly Laughs on Lark Comedy Showcase. We regret to inform you that we will have to cancel this month’s show, scheduled for Wednesday February 8th, our first cancellation since we started 20 months ago. It is not because we need to write new material, though we could use a few fresh jokes, or because of anxiety over the possibility of a Rick Santorum presidency, but because of a proposed Ordinance by the City of Albany regarding audio entertainment within taverns and restaurants. The ambiguity of the bill and the rush to enforce it prior to the Common City Council meeting scheduled to discuss it leave us no option but to pull the plug.

We started the show in August of 2010 in hopes of bringing a breathe of fresh air to the local entertainment community. Modeled after New York City alternative comedy rooms and with a showcase-format we’ve had 35+ different stand-up comedians, improv performers, special guests, and even a magician.

We love this neighborhood and judging by the increasing number of folks in attendance, you like us too. We believe strongly that businesses that promote and nourish local performers should be celebrated and not punished. Culture is what makes our community so spirited and lively, so imposing added restrictions on the shrinking number of establishments who embrace the artistic community is wrong. We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to perform for so many of you and we hope to be back as soon as possible.

Best,
Matt Kelly & Jaye Mcbride

This comes on the heels of a recent Times Union article about the Hudson River Coffee House and how the city’s bureaucracy and, frankly, overall shitty attitude of its bureaucrats and politicians has made the prospect of owning, opening, and operating a small business something akin to a Rockerfellian vision of Hell.

So much for that friendly community initiative, huh guys?

None of this bullshit going down here in the Collar City, comedy/show organizers. Just sayin’. Come on over and Enjoy Troy.

On an only somewhat related note, the weekly Open Mic hosted by Carliste Carey will be happening as usual WEDNESDAY NIGHT (tomorrow) at Bat Shea’s on Ferry St. in downtown Troy. Signup starts at 7:00pm.

FREE COMEDY FOR EVERYONE!

====

Also of note: last Friday’s Match Game at Waterworks was a success so they’re doing it [...]]]> FREE SHOW! I’ll be performing stand-up comedy tonight at Villa Valenti Pub (729 Pawling Ave., Troy) starting at around 8pm. Get there early! Get some food! Free show! Comedy! Did I mention the show’s free?

FREE COMEDY FOR EVERYONE!

====

Also of note: last Friday’s Match Game at Waterworks was a success so they’re doing it again this week! I’ll once again be serving as a panelist, and the evening will also include a couple great comics and a round or two of “Make Me Laugh”. Come join us, it’ll be a blast! This Friday, 8:30pm, Waterworks on Central Ave. in Albany (link: Facebook Event Page)

Ridiculous! Ludicrous! Far too specific! This would undermine everything!

Personally, I think there should be MORE money in politics. In fact, I say do away with voting entirely. Replace it, instead, with glass jars for each candidate. [...]]]>

Occupy Albany released a statement read by John Jaye outlining their demands.

Occupy Albany has made a shocking, controversial, and altogether unfathomable demand: to take money out of politics.

Ridiculous! Ludicrous! Far too specific! This would undermine everything!

Personally, I think there should be MORE money in politics. In fact, I say do away with voting entirely. Replace it, instead, with glass jars for each candidate. Whoever collects the most cash wins, and then that cash is used to run the country as those people see fit. This way we ensure our representatives are working the hardest they can for our dollars, and only the most hard-working fundraisers will be in positions of influence. Also, corporations should be represented by living, breathing cyborgs that can they also run for office.

I’m being facetious, but not because I think the notion is ridiculous. But because I don’t think it’s nearly specific enough and as a liberal myself, I take offense to the notion that the demands and regulations being alluded to in the most vague possible manner here should just be universally accepted by any and all of this “99%” people keep talking about (the use of which does more to stifle conversation than encourage it and really needs to be abolished). Particularly when I and many others might (*gasp!*) disagree with the positions they are holding as universal to the variety of ideologies they represent.

I want to run down, point by point, the specific measures and issues they are demanding to be addressed “in the short term.”

• Truly effective campaign finance reform. Okay. How and what aspects? It’s not as simple as just saying it. If it were, McCain-Feingold would have been stronger and more effective. Sadly, it was not. But there are a variety of factors that need to be addressed first before we try to tackle campaign finance reform as an issue. Mostly because it is not an issue but rather more of an idea and long-term goal, and the sooner you treat it as such the easier it becomes to address. Categorizing it as a “short-term” goal, as Occupy Albany explicitly states, is a wonderful thought but literally impossible and, really, self-defeating.
• Corporate personhood. This is a tricky one. It’s a phrase invoked by my fellow lefties to elicit outrage from those who believe (as I do) that corporations are often given more preference in legal and political manners than the individual in this country. It doesn’t help when members of the GOP like Mitt Romney snarkily respond to criticisms by stating that “corporations are people too, friend.” What he actually meant, even though ideologically avoiding the issue, is that corporations consist of real people and are not wholly faceless entities. In the literal sense he is right. But the problem is that the influence of a corporation as a collective group is very narrow and self-serving, yet can overwhelm the influence and interests of the people. So what do you do in that case? Do we eliminate corporate personhood entirely? Absolutely not! Part of corporate personhood that doesn’t get acknowledged is that it also serves to protect us from them. Although expanded through legal decisions in the twentieth century, the concept also allows for us to do things like sue a corporation as an entity rather than every single person within that corporation and/or specific people, making it not just easier but literally possible to seek retribution for their transgressions (otherwise we’d be priced out and exhausted by legal fees and logistics). It also makes it easier for us to hold them accountable, financially and otherwise, when they break the law and/or imposed regulations. The other problem is that the more objectionable aspects of corporate personhood aren’t the result of legislation but rather, as Occupy Albany themselves point out, legal precedent. So it’s not as simple as passing a law undoing the concept of corporate personhood and stripping them of that status, as doing so would have consequences on our ability to pursue legal action against them, protect ourselves from their abuses, etcetera.
• Incentive structure for representatives. I’d love to hear what they are actually proposing. If it’s a matter of simply raising income for representatives…well, good luck convincing a cynical populace that they should pay politicians that they’re unhappy with more money that the government does not have.
• Changing the culture of disinformation and divisiveness rampant in our society. If you read letters and statements going back as far as the Founding Fathers, the sting of rhetoric, divisive stances, and politicians parading as ideologues is hardly a new phenomenon. You can and should call it out whenever you see it. It’s childish, anti-intellectual, misleading, and manipulative. But to think that you’re going to solve it through any action or actions is, I’m sorry, childishly naive.

Occupy Albany’s permit for encampment in Academy Park ends today. They show no signs of leaving, citing that it would be more effective for them to be present when legislators return to session early next month.

The video and full text transcript (typed out by yours truly – you’re welcome) of Occupy Albany’s statement is after the jump.

Thank you for joining us on this special day.

There has been much speculation in the media as to why we have been occupying Albany. What is the reason we are going through all this hardship? Struggling through tough weather and putting careers on hold?

We are proud to announce that within the movement’s rich ideological diversity, we are issuing a formal demand. The people of Occupy Albany hereby make the following statement, which represents a powerful commonality within a diversity of beliefs and goals.

We have joined together to occupy as an affirmation of the virtue of democracy where each person has an equal voice in shaping our common future. While we come from diverse background and world views, we stand united in the recognition that our current system is failing us. The voice of the people is drowned out by the corruptive influence that concentrated economic power exerts on the government. The interests of those who purchase influence are awarded at the expense of the people, for whom the government’s just power is to be derived. We believe that this failure in our system is at the core of many interconnected issues we face as a society and its resolution is key to a just future.

We therefore demand true democracy, unshacked from the corrosive influence of concentrated economic power, and ask all who share in this common goal to stand with us and take action towards this end and statement.

As more and more concentrated money tramples on the political will of the people, there is a growing movement for real democracy in the air. From Tunisia to Egypt, to the Occupy movements throughout the country, the demands for genuine democracy are echoing across the globe. While in this country we have the right to vote, we at Occupy believe that voting does not ensure that our representatives are serving our interests. To get elected, they must sell themselves to the highest bidder. And once in power, they are put under intense pressure by lobbyists. Lobbying firms who in many case write legislation and directly hand them to our politicians. And all too often, the people appointed to oversight in specific industries have interests directly linked to these industries; to the very industries they are supposed to regulate.

So who’s interests are the government serving?

We believe that by the very nature of our system, our representatives serve with deep conflicts of inflicts; conflicts between the public good and the good of concentrated economic powers which have corrupted the system. This is not sustainable. This is not tolerable.

At Occupy Albany, over the last few weeks, we have been developing a strategic road map to address in the near term issues of campaign influence, lobbying influence, and the revolving door. Included in this planning are measures towards a truly effective campaign finance reform, overturning the horrible legal precedence of corporate personhood, changing the incentive structure of our representatives so that they are truly working for the people, changing the culture of disinformation and divisiveness rampant in our society, and other near term measures. The end goal of this is true democracy.

We understand that this demand is broad and bold. This was intentional. The challenges we face as a society are simply too great to believe that baby steps and watered down compromises will be effective. Accordingly, this demand does not set a limit on what is possible. This system is broken and this must be addressed systematically to the root for the future of this generation and generations to come. We have a legacy and we owe it to them and we owe it to ourselves.

The occupy movement have given the voiceless a voice, and this voice will continue to grow louder. This voice will return our system of government to the people.

All this for only $5. Show [...]]]> Tomorrow night (Wednesday, December 7th) is the 17th Laughs on Lark Comedy Showcase featuring yours truly along with Matt Kelly, Matt Mitchell, David Boyd, and host Jaye McBride! The show also features members of improv comedy troupe The Mop & Bucket Co. acting out your best (and worst!) holiday memories.

All this for only $5. Show starts at 9ish.

Bring your laughing shoes and an extra set of pants!

A night after seeing Andrew Bird at the Troy Music Hall, which because of the artist and venue was guaranteed to be a positive experience, I entered more [...]]]> A review of last Friday’s Josh Ritter concert at The Egg. Better late then never, right?

A night after seeing Andrew Bird at the Troy Music Hall, which because of the artist and venue was guaranteed to be a positive experience, I entered more unfamiliar territory with Josh Ritter at the Egg. I’d only heard of him tangentially vis a vis praise heaped on him by a handful of music publications and my company for the evening.

Entering the Egg’s Swyer Theater, my ticket was taken by a confused volunteer usher who stared at it blankly for what felt like an eternity before telling us to simply take any two empty seats we could find together in the row. Thankfully, it was at least the correct row and the ovular design of The Egg’s performance spaces made the fact that our tickets were on the other side of the section a non-issue.

I was accompanied once again by my concert buddy from Andrew Bird, and true to our form, we entered late into John Wesley Harding’s opening set. Harding (real name Wesley Stace, which is the name he goes by as a novelist) takes his name from one of Bob Dylan’s best albums, but his style owes more to Great Britain’s working class industrialist songwriters, with splashes of Pink Floyd and The Who providing color for his take on traditional folk. In between songs, Harding was comfortable and engaging. His charisma carried through to his performances, so I forgave what little I heard that bothered me (such as when the closing number “Devil in Me” devolved into preachy hackery).

Ritter, by contrast, was far less confident being the sole musician onstage. Keeping time was clearly an issue without a backing band, though it only became a distraction when the audience attempted to clap along to his more livelier efforts. Singing with his eyes closed and up into a raised mic stand, he smiled and tittered throughout the set and would excitedly take tiny steps backwards and forwards during his songs as if his feet were bound. It was precocious, but it was genuine. Women throughout the crowd closed their eyes, swayed, and fell in love with the adorable Ritter. One woman two rows in front of me leaned forward to take him in while her boyfriend aggressively rubbing her back in an attempt to draw her attentions back to him. She leaned further forward, but unlike Ritter, the boyfriend’s rhythm could not and would not be broken.

Ritter's isolation was a handicap early in the set, but became a strength as the night wore on.

But one should not let Ritter’s inherent charm overshadow his strength in telling a story. Most of the set’s first half was devoted to how pretty girls are and how much he enjoys spending time with them. Thankfully, his skilland natural charisma kept it from becoming overbearingly trite. The lowlight of the evening came when he performed “Southern Pacifica” and I became convinced that he’d wholly plagiarized it from Calexico (“Cruel” off 2006’s “Garden Ruin” LP). As I thought more about it, I rationalized it as my familiarity and preference for the latter clouding my perception. And, if anything, any similarity was likely unintentional. I’ve posted both videos below for comparison, so you can judge for yourself.

In the second half of his set, Ritter abandoned his libido and showed more versatility as a songwriter and a performer. My favorite was “Another New World,” a maritime ode to a shipwrecked vessel inspired by the last known poem penned by Edgar Allen Poe. Another highlight came when he asked the lights to be gradually brought down during a performance of “California,” followed by him performing the heartbreaking “Lantern” in complete darkness.

Ritter ended the evening and while I didn’t rush home to pick up every album he’d produced, I’d been sold on an artist that I’d been hesitant to embrace due to the nature of his material. It’s easy to listen to songs like “Good Man” and think of him as a pandering neo-folk songbird, but there is clearly more depth to him than that. You just have to stick around a bit to hear it.

See also: Nippertown’s review
Below: Calexico’s “Ruin” and Ritter’s “Southern Pacifica,” for comparison’s sake. Maybe it’s just me.