Racer Session #143 | The Many Duo | November 4, 2012
On Sunday November 4, 2012 The Many Duo invites you to bring your instruments, black pens and General Election ballots* to Café Racer. “Wait, what–ballots?”
Indeed. We too are weary of the relentless attack ads, the bickering over issues that could have been settled long ago and the narrow-minded media coverage of the candidates. Besides, should not improvised music thrive as an art unsullied by the grime of politics?
Our opinion is that (1) politics concern the affairs of the people and (2) improvised music is a people’s music. Therefore on the Sunday before Election Day we brazenly blend our ballots with our music. The curation consists of improvisations informed by The Many Duo’s political preferences and thoughts on the state of the national and global union. Some themes we explore:
·The homogenous and uninspiring nature of the “two major parties” and their domination over free-thinking “third party” candidates
·The results of voting certain candidates into office or of passing/not passing particular measures, as well as feelings of indifference, confusion or hopelessness
·The tension between (A) the discordant partisan nature of politics and (B) the sometimes overlooked areas of mutual cooperation and harmony
Following our soap box, we invite you to shape your improvisations around Tuesday’s election, invoking your passion, your indifference, your emotions, your reason, and more. We will facilitate the open set by writing portions of the WA ballot onto index cards, which you may choose beforehand or be randomly assigned as you step forward.
For example, you may find cards for the following portions of your ballot:
·I-1185 = legislature majority or supermajority requirement to levy state taxes & fees
·I-1240 = charter school creation & funding
·R-74 = marriage for same-sex couples
·I-502 = marijuana legalization
·JR 8221 = state debt limits
·JR 8223 = allowing state schools to invest savings in the stock market
·King County Prop 1 = fingerprint ID system
·Seattle Prop 1 = seawall levy
·And of course, the Presidential, Gubernatorial, and other partisan offices
·We will also provide blank cards for you to add things important to you yet absent from our ballots
Thank you for this chance to share our politics and music with you; we look forward to your improvisations and to the growth we’ll experience through each of you.
Kevin Haag, percussion & effects
Matt Williams, guitar & pedals
*Our sincere apologies to anyone excluded from the General Election due to age, immigration status, criminal background or other reasons, including if you plan to not vote as a form of protest; we hope you’re able to enjoy our set despite its focused nature.