Save all ages shows in Omaha

Okay, so there is an important amendment that is being proposed to the Omaha City Council that will create a music venue specification under the liquor code in Omaha. If it does not pass, then venues such as Slowdown and The Waiting Room will no longer be able to hold all ages shows.

I feel very strongly about all ages shows for a number of reasons. I went to a ton of shows when I was under 21 with the intention of seeing great bands and music. I feel like my whole adolescence/life would have been very different had I not been able to go to shows, so this is a very personal matter to me. It is so important for people under 21 to have access to art, music and culture, especially those outside of the mainstream, like the great bands that Slowdown and The Waiting Room host. It will also hurt the music scene overall and probably cause show attendance to go down and may have an affect on the bands that come through town. This would be a particular blow considering the vital and alive music scene is in Omaha, and how the music and arts have had a positive effect on the community and its image nationwide. Also, the guys who run Saddle Creek and 1%/The Waiting Room have done so much for Omaha, its reputation, and the music/arts scene and this would be a direct blow to their business and the venues that they have worked so hard to create. Plus these venues are strict about checking IDs, and I think it's safe to say that underage teens are going to the Slowdown and The Waiting Room on nights they have great shows to check out the music and some of their favorite bands live, not for the alcohol.

So if you feel as I do, please, please, please sign this petition at Slowdown's website. They also provide contacts for the City Council people and the mayor. If it's a cause that you feel strongly about or want to support, I encourage you to sign even if you don't live in Omaha. Thanks!

Edit/Addition: Tim McMahan wrote a good article on this issue in The Reader that you can read here.