cheers to nate c on his rounding-up and spreading-the-word abilities.

cheers to the olcc for keeping those little bastards out of venues. awesome.

God. Dammit.
Way to acknowledge how much the creative class has positively influenced the Portland economy. Talk about biting the hand that feeds. Fuck the OLCC

I actually think this is a great result from the OLCC. Minors should NOT be in these venues, it's that simple. Also, anything that hurts the Portland "creative class" is a good thing in my book.

GOOD JOB OLCC!!! :)

I like the idea that these people think allowing kids in the "venues" where alcohol is served will somehow corrupt their young values. Have they seen some of the other shit kids are into these days? I'd much rather my kid hang out at watching a show with alcohol being responsibly served to adults than hanging out at some other kids house with no parents home and just getting into the liquor cabinet. When will the old guard pass away????

I think there is some confusion on this.

If this passes, underage kids won't be pouring into say, Dante's, stealing your girl and spilling your drinks. That is not going to happen. All traditional bars will be minor-free forever, as will most shows.

Instead, if this passes, certain venues can go through A LOT of paperwork and planning and have all-age shows that also serve (separate) drinks to of-age patrons.

If you have other questions, let us know. But the wild speculation that kids will be bellying up to the Doug Fir bar, ruining shows, etc, is just plain ridiculous.

ezra, what do you think the chances are some of the commissioners were confused on that point? if they don't know what venue means...

GOD DAMN IT!!!!

This is the angriest I've been in weeks...

Lyle
I think the Feb. meeting is happening because a few of them, but not all of them, were quite confused. It was a very frustrating day.

Welcome to Oregon, folks.
The OLCC has been ruining all the fun for decades.
It is an organization that has outlived its usefulness, if it ever had any.

Kudos to Cary, Nathan & Ezra for doing their damnedest to bring this issue into context. Cary made excellent arguments and spoke skillfully and respectfully to the board.

I was appalled by the stiffness and narrow-mindedness that the OLCC exhibited in "exploring" this issue before voting. Not only were the Board out of touch in terms of not knowing what a venue is, but they were seriously ignorant of the law (too busy playing politics to understand the nature of what they were dealing with). Board members repeatedly asked questions that betrayed their lack of knowledge of the issue at hand, and of the OLCC's rules and classifications.

One board member openly admitted that her comments against small businesses were "discriminatory". Another claimed that "not a single licensee (venue) had approached the board in writing or to testify in person." This was simply a lie. I know that I am not the only venue owner with an alcohol license who submitted testimony. At last week's hearing, my letter was submitted as evidence (I confirmed this). At the hearing today, I was denied a voice because "too many people were talking."

A third board member bragged of having seen Casablanca for the 7th time in a theater, and seemed genuinely pained by the concept of having to tolerate "kids" in the theater "around him." I'd hate to be one of his kids...

Musicians and venues are having to fight the state (OLCC, OED) at every turn in order to make an honest living. The arbitrary application of archaic laws to oppress the young and creative class will result in revolution and chaos if things continue in this direction.

I think for the February hearing it would be really helpful to come up with examples of "venues" in each of their hometowns which could benefit from this rule change. This isn't just a Portland issue and their fear that this rule change would make it so "kids could be in sports bars" is completely not within the scope of this rule. If it is a bar it wouldn't qualify...I don't think they even understood that. Lets bring it home and make it local & personal.

I wish I could say that I was surprised by the vote. I was not. Bureaucracy is a tired old beast and this is the way it operates.

I do agree that there's hope for the February vote, and I certainly plan to be there (and to have my speech written/planned).

Unfortunately, we have four geezers deciding this, and one younger woman of color who is apparently pro segregation and pro discrimination. I wanted to wag my finger at her and cry "for shame". She's probably a pro-war Republican too.

***

Good work so far Cary! Hopefully a year from now, kids can get into a few non-smoking venues and participate in the community in a way that I couldn't when I was that age.

I know the OLCC rules co-ordinator. She is on the same page as you but has to remain neutral. This issue will be coming back to the "geezers" , as some have so elegantly put it, in a few months. Be a bit patient and work the process. There are plenty of whacko's out there who think that ETOH should be banned and we should go back to prohibition. (ETOH = The good stuff in booze) I totally support the change too. Try to work the system. Letting the "geezers" and the "token" know how much you F-ing hate them isn't going to incline them to vote in your favor.

Talk to the rules coordinator and lean what the process is and make a calm plan to win. You should have won today but lots of "issues" were raised, by your supporters, that caused the "geezers" and "token" to rethink the rule change.

Just my $.02

See ya at Dante's tomorrow.

I guess I don't assume anyone on that committee reads the Mercury blog. Am I wrong?

None of them seemed that informed...

The Oregonian has posted a short, but sympathetic article already.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/12/state_rejects_request_by_alcoh.html

I love the quote! Absolutely confirms the laziness and ignorance that we witnessed today.

NC

I've been of legal drinking age for more than a decade, but I still remember when I was a college student in Eugene, how much it sucked that I was too young to go see my favorite bands play because the shows were at bars. Thankfully there were a few places for all-ages shows (ahem, "venues") and house parties, but they were always short-lived and quasi-legal at best.

The OLCC isn't going anywhere -- it's a perfectly American combination of greed (state-run liquor stores? wtf), puritanism, and authoritarianism.