The On the Rise News Round-March 2023

It’s been an interesting last few weeks in the world of dance music- a legendary Chicago club in danger, Bandcamp workers unionising and artists taking on Ticketmaster plus more. Read on to see the articles in our news round up. 

https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/petition-launched-to-save-birthplace-of-house-music-the-warehouse-3415098 

– A petition has been launched to save the building that once housed The Warehouse, a Chicago nightclub considered one of the birthplaces of house music.

– The Warehouse was established in 1977 and hosted DJ Frankie Knuckles as its first musical director. The club became a hub for black gay men in Chicago and played a mix of genres like soul, R&B, and disco that marked the beginnings of the house genre.

– Despite its historical significance, the building has no protections against alterations or demolition, and its future remains unknown after being sold in December 2022. The petition asks the City of Chicago to designate the building a Chicago Landmark to ensure its preservation.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d3njk/why-we-rave-mckenzie-wark-techno-raving-book 

– The thought piece is about the experiences and perspectives of a raver-theorist named McKenzie Wark on why people rave.

– Wark’s new book, “Raving,” attempts to describe raving as a technological and social practice and its role in the late-capitalist world.

– Raving is seen as a means of distorting time perception and offers a form of self-care and healing for many, especially for marginalised communities. However, the utopian idea of raving is limited by social contradictions.

https://mixmag.net/feature/has-dance-music-got-harder-faster-hor-berlin-hard-techno-rave-music-interview-investigation 

– This article explores the trend of dance music becoming faster and harder, and discusses the reasons behind this trend.

– The trend is largely driven by a new generation of clubbers and artists who are pushing the limits of BPM counters and kick drum distortion, as well as the influence of social media and economic turmoil.

– The article features interviews with several DJs and party organisers who offer their perspectives on the trend and its impact on music and the club industry.

https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/58476/1/could-artists-solve-the-problem-with-ticketmaster-robert-smith-taylor-swift 

– The Cure’s Robert Smith recently convinced Ticketmaster to refund excessive fees to their fans.

– Artists are speaking out against Ticketmaster’s corporate greed, particularly regarding the company’s dynamic pricing policy, which raises ticket prices based on demand.

– Ticketmaster’s dominance in the live music industry, as a result of their ownership by Live Nation, makes it difficult for artists to avoid using their services and for consumers to have alternative options for buying tickets.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/bandcamp-union-1234695308/ 

– Employees at Bandcamp have voted to unionise and form a union called “Bandcamp United.” 

– The union represents all non-managerial, non-supervisory workers at Bandcamp in the US and aims to ensure that the company upholds the same values for its employees as it does for artists, such as fair pay and transparent policies. 

– Some of the workers’ goals for the union include addressing wage disparities across departments, improving transparency from management, and creating a more equitable and economically stable work environment.