Although I read the org quite often, I've never chimed in before. But, this has me fuckin OUTRAGED, so I have to speak my mind on this matter.

There have been plenty of things that bordeline complete bullshit since I've been doing shows in Chicago, but nothing comes close to this. Every year I do Riot Fest, I expect the police/fire marshalls to show up -- which they do -- to make sure everything is "OK" in their book. They have torn down merch tables that were nowhere near fire exits, and all of the macho-ridden, testosterone-ladden shit you'd expect. But, this is of a different caliber.

Some of the best Chicago promoters have come from doing 50-200 person shows that are completely out of the scope of what Metro, HOB, Vic, etc. do -- and of a young age... under 18 in many circumstances. To bar or discourage these up-and-coming promters from doing what they do best will not only hurt developing acts, but music as a whole.

Where would have bans like The Bollweevils, AK3, Rise Against, Apocalypse Hoboken, and every other band been without the Fireside? Even more so, Raygun, Effigies, AoF, Big Black will always be associated with Oz, The Exit, O'Banions, etc. The Chicago Sound, would have never developed it it weren't for these kind of places and the promoters behind them. To that end, any reemrgence of a similar scene will be destroyed by a bunch of douchebags who don't know any better. Paternalism at its best.

I'm angry and saddened that this may actually go through. But with that said, I expect myself and everyone else involved in the development of the Chicago scene to protest this with all you have, because I don't want to miss the next Slapstick play a 50-person club.