with such a big world with bigger problems sometimes it can seem like a daunting task to even figure out how to begin to solve them.

ill tell you some of the first places i heard about these problems and fell in love with music were in venues like the metro and the firesidebowl. i remember stage diving off the payphones in the fireside when i was 16. i remember meeting friends off the wrigly stop and sitting around in lines outside of the metro.

here is a basic summary and reaction to the ordinance (written by the chicago music commission):

• The language of the ordinance as drafted unnecessarily and perhaps prohibitively increases the cost of doing business for any promoter seeking to work with PPA-licensed music venues under 500 seats and those without "fixed seating", including, among many others, Schuba’s, Buddy Guy’s Legends, the Vic Theater, the Riviera Theater, the Metro, The Hideout, Uncommon Ground, and Martyrs’. Many of these small and non-fixed seating venues rely on contracting with third party promoters for a significant portion of their revenue while their customers safely enjoy the entertainment. This ordinance will not address the "bad actors" CMC and the City agree are the root of the problem--underground promoters seeking to make a quick buck who put on unsafe events.

• The ordinance will reduce the amount of music in Chicago, make events more expensive for consumers, dampen the large and growing economic engine that is Chicago music, and create a much less supportive business climate for Chicago’s small music business community. As Chicago competes for business with cities from around the world in addition to our own regional suburbs, we cannot afford to put this ordinance’s well-intentioned but overly broad financial weight on Chicago’s music community.

• That is why CMC welcomes the opportunity to work the Committee and the City to revise this ordinance to address the very real problem of “underground” promoters while ensuring that law-abiding small business people that make up Chicago’s music economy are not unnecessarily overburdened."

jim derogatis goes in depth into the issue in his blog- as the city council prepares to take this action without input from the community itself.

i will tell you for one and i am sure that every member of fall out boy would say the same: if it werent for these venues fall out boy would not even exist.

if you live in chicago or not- this is the scene our band was born in. check out : www.savechicagoculture.org to read about the ordinance and what you can do to have your voice heard.

sorry for the long update. i thought it was worth it. and thanks to those of you who alerted me to the site.

( Meelikey Update )

wow. ipod decided to quit on me in the car. listening to the radio and "beat it" came on. it still gives me chills to hear your own song (or patrick singing m.j.) over the radio. it just sounds different, more compressed... anyway if you get a chance call in to your radio station and request it. i cant believe that we made this thing on a whim and people are actually playing it... and happy mothers day mom.

make sure to tell your mom the same from fob.

if shes like my mom she drives you to shows (well not anymore) and makes you french toast (yep still happens). and pretty much puts up with all your nonsense (definitely).

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