Economic development can be fun.
For some reason, this weekend the level of irritation with Santa Fe among people I know reached a sort of critical mass. Literally "critical." Several people-all between the ages of 26 and 35-informed me that, disgusted with lack of creative and career opportunities, they are ready to blaze out of town to greener pastures.
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One person turned to me and said, "Santa Fe has the worst of both worlds: It's expensive and it's boring." A second was even more direct: "It's stupid," she said, "it's stupid, for me to live here." This second person happens to have a hell of a lot of musical talent; she's someone who has struggled to make music on the cheap, while still paying rent, while still finding time to work doubles at the Cowgirl, while still being able to afford food. She's over it. She plans on moving to San Francisco-still expensive, hell, but definitely worth it. Definitely not boring.
It's anecdotal evidence, of course, but it's clear the exodus of young, creative, smart people continues at an epidemic rate. We just can't keep 'em here. And not only are they leaving, they're leaving in disgust. They arrive or are born here full of delightful fancies: They want so badly to give to this city and give hard, and all they get in return is apathy, laziness, flake-outs. High rents, no place to play. Festivals geared toward out-of-towners. The person moving to San Francisco is one of the most prolific songwriters I've ever met, but her songs are different; they don't really fall into any category. Despite being catchy and inventive, they are a hard sell in Santa Fe, where unfortunately, we are stuck in a musical rut. I'm bummed this person is leaving, but I'm glad she'll find an audience, and inspiration, and hopefully an easier life, in Frisco. Well, OK, let's be honest, she'll have to live in Oakland, but whatever-the point is, she feels like there are options out there for her. We need to get on the stick and make sure folks feel like the best option is right frickin' here. Meantime, Santa Fe is hemorrhaging talent like an extra on ER and, Angelou Economics or no, the best we've done is apply a Kleenex to the wound.
And yet…so many of us stay. And yet…so many of us, against all odds, swim upstream and make the best of it. This town sits atop a subterranean flow of explosive energy, excitement and creative anger, fueled by a river of sweat and beer and melting eyeliner. And every once in a while the river bubbles to the surface in a bizarre mini-eruption that few people notice. Like the fact that the infamous queer-gender-issue-centric-Jewish-amputee-activist Nomi Lamm-a woman whose performance art involves simulating sex with her own prosthetic leg-was scheduled as of presstime to perform Monday night at…Osaka. Osaka: One of those cheesy Japanese grills in a strip mall, where usually the most excitement you'll see is a chef almost chopping his finger off into your Teriyaki beef. As another friend of mine said, upon hearing the news, "Hmm…disability politics and sushi? Awesome!"
Such are the strange bedfellows Santa Fe makes, as it always has, not just in music and art but also, well, every aspect of living and culture. I keep thinking of the famous instance when Albert Einstein was hanging out on the Plaza-here to help out a little with the Manhattan Project up in Los Alamos-now, how incongruous is that?
Such, anyway, were my thoughts as I walked from my car through the entrance to this year's Second Street Experience.
First, let me say I'm damn well aware Santa Fe is never gonna be San Francisco. But we should make sure it doesn't become Aspen, either. Street fairs like the SSE are a good way to do this. Small towns usually suffer from either over-reaching or under-reaching, but this year, it seemed, the SSE found a balance: two days, tasteful fashion show, local boutique wares, local pizza, local kids' stuff, local beer, local bands.
And it was this latter group that proved so gol-dang endearing, they make that local malady-"I'll-guess-I'll-stay-in-Santa-Fe-a-little-longer-itis"-so contagious. When not on the stage, most of the bands hung out in the "beer garden."* It's endearing and heartening to see different musicians intermingling, to see the Frogville family buzzed and grinning, as Amazing Larry casually meanders through a couple Prince covers up on the stage a few feet away. It's nice to hear the psychedelic grooves of bands like Ray Charles Ives as a soundtrack to civic monetary development. See, kids, working on our city's economic identity can be fun! Let's be thankful, too, the City of Santa Fe Economic Development Division helped sponsor this event. See, City Hall, paying attention to musicians can be profitable!
I'm not even going to review the shows-you know these bands, you know what they sound like, but their sound isn't really all that important. What's important is this: SSE, for all its fashion-show/hemp-bracelet-booth/underground-art vibe, would never work without music, or locals, or local music. Music gives street fairs a vibrancy and urgency they need to succeed. And the success of things like the Second Street Experience is key to the success of the city itself.
As you've probably noticed from this column and columns past, I'm a little obsessed with this subject. But why not? Now is the vital time. Like a Venus flytrap, this city can easily lure people in with a free-spirited reputation, a bohemian legacy and, you know, mountains. But that's not enough: The question is, once they're here, will we disillusion them with high rents and suppressed artistic tendencies and send them packing to Denver or Phoenix or San Francisco? Or will they head to something like the SSE and decide, "I like this place. I think I'll stay."
*One criticism: Just because you rope off part of the parking lot to ensure that beer drinkers stay in one place doesn't mean you've created a "beer garden." It means you've created a "restricted area where there are no seats but it's the only place you can drink beer." It's kinda like that new development thing where you stick a balcony on an old condo and suddenly it's a "loft." You're not fooling anybody.
