2008 Woodie Awards
House show proprietors must take responsibility, self-regulate
The Editorial Board
Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: Opinions
House shows are exciting and the Sidelines editorial board favors them, but we must stipulate it's important their planners regulate them carefully. After all, if their proprietors don't keep things under control, then the law will step in to do so, and probably in a way that's much less enjoyable than live bands and college drinks.
Regrettably, young people often suffer a double standard, and accordingly their gatherings tend to be held to higher degrees of scrutiny than other activities involving crowds and live music, like church events and political fundraisers. A crowd of college kids milling around at night might be considered probable cause, but a wedding, maybe not so much.
A double standard is also visible when the police crack down on a house show because of underage drinking, but turn a blind eye to the abundance of alcohol on campus during pre-game tailgates.
Still, two wrongs don't make a right, and that means even where the law is not uniformly applied, would-be hosts of house shows should limit their risks by taking a few factors into consideration.
Noise should be cut at a reasonable hour; parked cars should not block neighbor's driveways or emergency vehicles.
Making a routine of frequently hosting house shows can constitute an illegal business simply because a service is being offered, even if nobody's charging cover. Speaking of, if the touring band could use some money for gas, don't make a fee mandatory - just ask for donations.
A group mentality can be a dangerous thing regardless of planning, but we feel that's actually more of a strike against churches and political parties than house shows.
The City should never shut down a house show before it even starts solely on the assumption that something illegal would otherwise ensue. This seemingly violates the principle of "innocent until proven guilty," and we hear that's important, or at least it used to be.
Regrettably, young people often suffer a double standard, and accordingly their gatherings tend to be held to higher degrees of scrutiny than other activities involving crowds and live music, like church events and political fundraisers. A crowd of college kids milling around at night might be considered probable cause, but a wedding, maybe not so much.
A double standard is also visible when the police crack down on a house show because of underage drinking, but turn a blind eye to the abundance of alcohol on campus during pre-game tailgates.
Still, two wrongs don't make a right, and that means even where the law is not uniformly applied, would-be hosts of house shows should limit their risks by taking a few factors into consideration.
Noise should be cut at a reasonable hour; parked cars should not block neighbor's driveways or emergency vehicles.
Making a routine of frequently hosting house shows can constitute an illegal business simply because a service is being offered, even if nobody's charging cover. Speaking of, if the touring band could use some money for gas, don't make a fee mandatory - just ask for donations.
A group mentality can be a dangerous thing regardless of planning, but we feel that's actually more of a strike against churches and political parties than house shows.
The City should never shut down a house show before it even starts solely on the assumption that something illegal would otherwise ensue. This seemingly violates the principle of "innocent until proven guilty," and we hear that's important, or at least it used to be.
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