Robin and I went to the Humboldt County Planning Commission (HCPC) meeting last night. The whole Reggae on the River fiasco was on the fore-front. Here are some of my observations from the sidelines:
If the Mateel Community Center (MCC) and Peoples Production (PP) did not become public with their grievances, the HCPC would have systematically accepted their event permit as they have for years without protest. Even though they have violated the permit for years as far as attendance. It was never a huge issue before. Now the subject is public and the Planning Commission is accountable. So the HCPC have to make a public stand.
Drugs have been an issue for years at ROR. Now it is “highly” public. The HCPC has to address the issue now. They never had to in the past. The squabble between MCC and PP has caused this to be a problem and be public. They both claim they can fix it. Ha! There were people giving testimony that they did not witness a drug problem. I am not kidding! It was almost comical, if not pathetic.
Commissioner Jeff Smith held some public comments to 3 minute, but let others drone on for around 10 minutes. Why he did this is beyond me. I think he felt he needed to let the “stake holders” be allowed more time. Hey Jeff, it is called “public comments” for a reason. It’s to give all the public equal opportunity to speak, not pick and choose who is to be given preferential time.
The Planning Commission has no idea who is holding the event. They have publicly stated that there will not be 2 events. Unless there is some agreement quickly between the MCC and PP there may be no Reggae on the River period.
While counsel for PP Brad Floyd was addressing the Commission, MCC Director Tayna Stapp and MCC counsel Allison Jackson were shaking their heads no, and looked in total disagreement with his testimony about a “referee” from San Francisco mediating or rendering a final judgment quickly.
Listen to the money talk. Venue owner Tom Dimmick and his neighbor with the 2,500 campsites are going to rake in the cash. They were there to give weak testimony on PP’s behalf. Cha-ching. Show me the bling! At least some lawyers are getting some work out of this. It might be sad for the non-profits that use this venue for fund raising. Oh, what greed will do.
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So Hum is just a bunch of greddy morally corrupted #@$%^&* and that is the bottom line.
The drugs are the whole point of Reggae. You think they let the most homophobic and hateful reggae performer onstage because they have a conscience? The music is just a backdrop. Not that I think anything is wrong about having a festival where drug use is out in the open but People Productions, Carol Bruno and the Mossman are totally retarded. They have put the fate of reggae in the hands of the committees and the public will of Humboldt County. Bad move. Adopt a Nazi policy towards drug use (That was what was advocated) and you will see attendance numbers drop like one of Richards fat turds! Next thing you know it will be Reggae in the Sac Valley Amp!
"Reggae in the Sac Valley Amp," has a ring to it.
How about Reggae in Reno? The values of modern Reggae might be better accomodated there.
At this point I'm thinking the Sierra Nevada Music festival is where I'm spending my annual summer music trip. Humboldt county just keeps getting worse and worse every year in virtually every category you can think of.
They both claim they can fix it. Ha! There were people giving testimony that they did not witness a drug problem. I am not kidding! It was almost comical, if not pathetic.
At ROTR there isn't a "Drug Problem" You have NO PROBLEM AT ALL GETTING DRUGS!
You gotta read between the lines here.
Don't dis Reno, it's a lovely little city with a rich history, plenty of culture, and a great little university (est. 1870, which in the West is "old"). The gambling is a small part of what Reno's about for the people who live there.
'reggae on the reno'
does seem to have a special ring to it.
Get the dirty Reggae lovers out of our river. This "festival" is a joke, and it's all about greed and money. I don't want their money, their noise, or their pollution. Send Reggae somewhere else.
It's way past time for a shakeup re the festival, the mateel, PP...the community in general. Everybody got fat and slacked off. Turn a page and start a new story for the benefit of all of us. PS: If the drugs were NOT there, would Reggae be the attraction? I think if drugs were made as available as they are now at Reggae, you could sell 12,000 tickets to a Viennese Waltz Festival! PPS: There is a life after Reggae. The real question is: Can Mateel survive?
Just got back from Reggae on the River 2013
Wow it's getting to be like a 90s Greatful Dead concert
Drugs like black tar heroin ketamine LSD MDMA Everywhere by Sunday night I was scared to sleep in my tent the drugs had made the people dark walking around like zombies people just trying to make money selling anything to anybody not Rastas but young thugs .
Not to mention the drug crazed security gaurd who confiscated this guys Nitrous tank by strong arming the guy threatening to fight him the guy pulled up his shirt exposing his prison tattoos and said I'm from prison .we later found out the security guy name Donny stole the Nitrious tank and inhaled it .
& what's up with the weird trance raves till 5:00 am playing dark dark music like its EDC or something not to mention all the coruption and local favoritism I'm a veteran over 23 years and I loved the music and actual concert . The concert had the best vibe and the lights and led panels rocked . Please stop the Ketamine and hard drugs like Dmt I had never came accross them till ROTR. 2013 very scary even the local white boys all came out & they are worse than LA gangs its a big problem I suggest to not camp at ROTR get hotel it's way safer
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