Greetings Friends & Happy Rocktober!
No matter what is happening, October is always Rocktober when it is the month of the MAMAs. Heck it has been that way ever since KSAN used to call it Rocktober back in the 70s.
This is the 2nd weirdest October in modern history. Last year was the weirdest, as we were all locked down, not knowing what was going to happen. Was it the end of COVID or was it the beginning? Well here we are a year later, stumbling aimlessly down the path to recovery and normalcy. At the same time, I am just counting down the days until I decorate my house for Hallowe’en and get ready for the Trick or Treat and I am planning a contact free candy delivery mechanism. Hallowe’en is our favorite holiday and this year it is on Sunday, which means a have a WHOLE weekend to get my house ready for that magic night with pirate ships, ghosts, spiders, wine, friends and so much more. I hope to see you there.
Twenty-one years ago, the Modesto area music scene was amazing. So amazing in fact, that Chris Ricci and I decided to create a celebration event that brought together all of our different genres of music at one event and highlight those bands and people that really made a difference.
For many years, we were rich with performing spaces, music houses, plazas filled with people and local radio that really helped promote nation acts that would allow local bands to open. These events like B93 Summerfest, XFest, Downtown Rocks and others would be regional showcases. Here we are today, performance venues ravaged by COVID, corporate radio not showcasing local bands and everything is upside down. We must make a stand Modesto. There is so much talent, from the bluegrass of Oakdale to the Indie sounds of the Shire to the Jazz of downtown and the rock that shines on stages big and small, wherever we can play. Our webcast days may be over, but we need to claw our way back to live music prominence. Sadly, the live music opportunities are rested on the backs of the restaurants that were hit the hardest during COVID.
We need to create! We need new venues! I felt the energy of the crowd when my band Third Party played 10th St Plaza! We need our population to get its’ crap together and get vaccinated so we can all gather again. I attended Bottlerock in Napa where you had to be vaxxed or have a fresh negative. It was full. I just returned from New York City where vaccination proof was required to get into a club, theatre or restaurant. They were full. People will do what they need to do if there is something they want to do. So let’s do this Modesto. The MAMAs are a non-profit organization that will be the champion of live music in our community. We will be coming back to you with ideas, asking for donations and our goal is to make live music a pillar of this creative city we call home. There will be a MAMA Awards on October 19 at the State Theatre, the home of the MAMAs. We are not exactly sure what format it will be, but we will keep you posted and we will celebrate. But please vote for your favorite at www.modestoareamusic.com so we can move this forward and present the Beeler trophy to a great musician.
Our region is an area rich in culture. Mixed cultures make life interesting. The more we embrace something that is not familiar, we become closer to the world. Some people say that Globalism is a bad thing, I disagree. The more we are aware of what different cultures need or want, the more we understand. This month, as we ramp up to the creepy and crawly haunts of Halloween, we look forward to what it means to think beyond the world we live in. Dia de los Muertos has always fascinated me. I’m not a religious person, but the idea that we celebrate those that have passed before us is good. To do this, we have to respect history, traditions and embrace something bigger than ourselves. This month get to know Rebecca Harrington who has really brought DDLM to our community and I hope you enjoy it.
Community is what it all gets down to. When you walk into the 7th Street Modesto Market, Chefs of New York, Fuzio, Concetta, Tresettis or any of your favorite places to eat, it is all about hanging with people you know, eating flavors you love and sharing life experiences and maybe eating 4, 8 or 12 Tacos de Birria. My name is Chris Murphy and I have a taco problem. These things are amazing, and if you come out and rock with us Oct 1, you can discover these at the Modesto Market, and fortunately many places around town. But please visit and support our local businesses and places you love, where you feel like family, where people know your grand-baby and sit, shop, hang and enjoy. This is what it’s about friends, feeling like family, in a place with rich culture where we can all be who we are and keep each other safe.
Enjoy your October and I hope to see you out and about.
Chris Murphy
Publisher and Founder, ModestoView
chrism@spwg.com<mailto:chrism@spwg.com>
