Weszt

Orlando, Florida, is a curious, flexing mix of success and self-loathing – though opinions may differ. I’ve been here for nearly 10 years and considering I began here living in my van, storing my personals at my rehearsal space, and having to do most everything on my own, I imagine my perspective is more from the inside-out than most. This morning I was inspired by an email from a festival here in Florida that got me thinking about the gatekeepers and the kingmakers of music and the difficulty with my current adopted hometown.

Anything old in Orlando will be cut down. Shady deals with contractors and local government have torn down at least one local landmark and if you’re at all familiar with the city, you’ll know that dozens of condominiums have replaced much older structures and neighborhoods that didn’t come with a duty to choose our fights, to narrow our angst to a more useful focus. I can’t possibly give my money to every charity that needs it and expect to survive – do you really need to lay down your life for their cause. Don’t call my callous you bastards… if I want music and my success with it to be my main fight (though I do have a few others), then that’s what it’ll be. So let’s get back to that.

There are only a few people in Orlando who really man the gates of music. Most of these never purposely pursued their gatekeepership but they’re there and they’re opinionated, and because their opinion counts more than most of those they normally see, they’re defensive as hell. To them your musical goals are but wisps of smoke in a fog of competitors. They’re own survival is demands that they be more right than you, so don’t expect them to be ready to jump into bed with you any time soon, though favors are always welcome.

I’ve noticed that gatekeepers are more receptive to you (not necessarily me, just the universal you) when you’ve at least one on of these traits: you’re already their friend, you’re friends with other power players in the scene, or you sound almost