On August 21, 2009, the Casualties played at the Excited Sloth Jungle in Indianapolis to a packed room full of all types of people, from hardened crust punks to 8-year-old girls with parental chaperones.
About a week later, the ES Jungle was shut down because of zoning violations.
Aside from the injustice of having something culturally positive shut down because of such an insignificant infraction, this is hardly a rare occurrence. All-ages venues are forced to close regularly because of these sorts of technicalities, making it extremely difficult to keep one afloat in Indianapolis. In fact, just this past week, two all-ages venues, both the ES Jungle and The Dojo on the east side, fell victim to these technicalities of the law. The ES Jungle had been around Broadripple for about a year; The Dojo had only been running for a few weeks before it was forced to shut down because of a noise complaint. When it was positioned right next to The Emerson Theater, I might add.
We at the Sloth Project have united under the belief that shutting down all-ages venues does no good for our communities, or our city. Speaking as music lovers who are under 21 years of age, we have almost no opportunities to experience live music without the shows that our all-ages venues put on, and in them, we have found a loving community. Without them, we feel homeless. It would be devastating for the under 21 crowd in Indianapolis to be left without a place to see music, and terribly disheartening to see the Indy music scene turn strictly to bars and arenas.
That’s why The Sloth Project was formed. We, the youth of Indianapolis, are desperate to keep the Indy all-ages scene alive. We are tired of being treated as if our passion for music is an irritation to the city, especially because of zoning violations or equally trivial infractions. We believe that the shows that draw kids from all over the city, giving them a community and a positive cultural experience, are worth fighting for. And we need all the help we can get.
So please join us! Below, is a list of city officials and their contact information. Our goal is to have as many people send emails and letters to city officials as possible, stressing the need for an all-ages scene and urging them to stop shutting down our venues. If you’d like to help (and we know you would), here’s how:
1. Pick someone (or someones) from the list to send an email or letter to. I believe you can sort out your personal representative by district.
2. Remember to keep it positive; we know it’s an infuriating situation sometimes, but you catch more flies with honey than vinegar (I don’t know why one would be trying to catch flies anyway, but you know what I mean). That means no name-calling.
3. Be creative. Feel free to write from your own personal experience with the scene, and perhaps point out that as a city that grows more culturally relevant year after year, shutting down the all-ages scene is certainly a step backwards for Indianapolis.
4. Close your eyes, make a wish, say a prayer, remember that we love you, whatever, and send it!
5. Bask in the good feelings that come from knowing that you’re helping to save Indianapolis culture, and that a bunch of punk rock, hardcore, and indie kids are forever indebted to you. Seriously, if you need a hookup, we’ll see what we can do. You’re a superstar!
So go at it! If you have any questions, concerns, you need a hookup, or just want to say hi, email us at theslothproject@gmail.com
Find your legislator:
http://www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/
• Follow the link above and choose either Indiana House or Indiana Senate
• Enter your zip code
• Move the map around until you see exactly where you live. Then click about where your house would be.
• Your Senator/Representative will be highlighted in light blue. Their district number will be to the left of their name.
Now that you have found your representative you can call, write or email them.
House of Representatives
Email: h(district#)@in.gov
Address: Rep. (Name)
Indiana House of Representatives
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2786
(317) 232-9600
(800) 382-9842
Senate
Email: s(district#)@in.gov
Address: Senator (Name)
Indiana State Senate
200 W. Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2785
(317) 232-9400
(800) 382-9467
Here is an example….
Patricia L. Miller
District #: 32
Email: s32@in.gov
Address: Senator Patricia L. Miller
Indiana State Senate
200 W. Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2785
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