Salt City – A red door beckoned through the murky city night, plastic hoops revolving through the storefront glass. Composed vibrations filtered through brick whilst a steady trickle of students, appreciators and fans donated their entry fee.
Green printed Lincolns allowed admittance to white walls covered in contributed works surrounding a table strewn with ceramics. Managed and supported by Syracuse University’s art students, a Friday and Saturday evening saw live music open to the public in an effort to raise funds needed to spruce up the independently managed Spark Contemporary Art Space on East Fayette Street.
Milking Diamonds opened up as their predecessors hustled gear out through the back door. Colored illumination played across a white canvas strung behind the instrumentalists. Synth met guitar as the duo’s new wave reminiscences flooded the space.
Far more $2 cans of beer exchanged possession than $20 works of art, more of a statement about societal valuation than anything.
The ’90s are alive and well, erstwhile progeny continuing their wandering march through civilization as an angst ridden decade of tumult drifts further away down stream. Professional Victims bid their drummer farewell amidst the jangly guitar chords and off kilter harmonics that dominated the air waves throughout a confused slice of American hystory.
Escaped through a pack of later arrivals before the hour when protecting servants become predatory under the cover of darkness. Hopefully goals were met and funds became available for trivial expenses such as a latch on the bathroom door.
Times are tough even beneath the historically protective bubble of collegiate enterprise. Encircled by a decaying metropolis a group of young people interested in more than their potential to imbibe continued the difficult campaign to maintain a space for something other than athletics or stupidity.