Why Are All Ages Shows Important?

As recently as 2007, there was a proposed ban on all ages shows in establishments serving alcohol across the city of Washington, D.C. This was proposed by councilman Jim Graham as a result of a 17-year-old being shot at a poorly secured nightclub. Were it not for an uproar from various parts of the community, underage and otherwise, this law could have gone into effect. As an 18-year-old person, I cannot imagine the world without all ages shows.

All over the United States there are young men and women who grow up in small towns with nothing better to do than get high or drunk, or both. Establishments in all cities should be allowed to open their doors to these people, if proper security precautions are taken of course. There is a much higher risk of an adolescent OD-ing or falling into some other bad shit if they are bored, and let's face it, people get bored pretty quick.

All ages shows are important because they give a misfit teen a place to go, and are often safer than staying at home or hanging around their neighborhood. I am not promoting a straight-edge agenda in any way, but the most important message here is something that Ian Mackaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi) said in his testimony against the all ages ban in D.C.: "Music is for all people".

There have always been people that would like to downplay the importance and the role of music in society and people's lives. The fact is, music is inseparable from humanity. With every great social movement there has been music to inspire and fuel the revolution. The punk movement, from the 60's to today, has exemplified that. Punk music is an inspiration to misfits everywhere, and the more inspiration people have, the less despair, hate, and rage they have. All ages shows are vital because music is not a privilege, it is a right, and teenagers are people who have the ability to make conscious decisions.

You'll notice I never once referred to a teenager as a "kid" in this piece. There is a very finite reason why I chose to do that. A teenager is not a child. As an 18-year-old I take offense to that term because it implies a lack of intelligence, decision-making ability, and maturity. Most teenagers are more mature than many of the adults you know. Not only that, but they can make better decisions than, say, a 62-year old councilman proposing a ban on all ages shows for an entire city, based on a single incident.

I will leave you with Ian Mackaye's testimony from 2007, I'm sure he says it better than I ever could. (Notice the round of applause after, followed by Graham harrumphing)