What’s going on with the Armory?

By on October 29, 2012 in Albany

A bit over a week ago, a poorly managed queue for a foam party at the Washington Avenue Armory, and the resulting three injured cops and seven arrested partygoers has angered the city enough to cease-and-desist the venue. Albany is citing the venue’s lack of a cabaret license, which is what they need to operate a “night club”, but not host a concert.

Jordan Carleo-Evangelist for the Times Union:

A 2007 special-use permit issued by the BZA lists potential future uses as diverse as antique shows, concerts and circuses — but a dance club is not on the list.

That’s insane. An enormously huge venue such as the Armory simply isn’t a night club. The only common thread are DJs, which are obviously commonplace in a club, but if your venue can also host a roller derby game, it’s not a night club. If your “night club” can fit 5,400 people and has a dedicated box office, it’s not a night club.

Also:

Another event dubbed “The Wet and Reckless Tour” — the flier for which features a cartoon blood-alcohol detector with the needle spiked all the way to the maximum — is scheduled to visit the Armory Nov. 8. That party is listed as open to anyone 16 or older.

This event, which is hosting LA-based touring DJ and producer Dillon Francis among others has been simply moved to the Upstate Concert Hall, completely circumventing the shit-show of dealing with the city to host an event.

It’s obvious that Albany would react this way to anything that would get three of their officers hurt. But is it worth crippling the city’s second largest venue from hosting events within the city itself?

The Festival of the Dead, a Halloween bash that benefits the Family Trauma Fund at Albany Medical Center, will be held thanks to a last minute deal between the historic venue and the city, a spokesman for the armory said Friday afternoon.

Not canceling a benefit for the Family Trauma Fund at Albany Medical Center at the last minute doesn’t make the city “the nice guy”, it just shows they want to pick and choose who is able to use something not owned by them, which makes them a dick.

Why drive promoters and partygoers alike across town lines and move the cash flow from these patrons elsewhere? Fix the queue issue for these high capacity events, charge the Armory for their license and allow our city to move forward rather than crippling arts and culture all in the name of making an example out of someone.

About andrew

Andrew started Keep Albany Boring in September 2010.
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  • http://twitter.com/SeanPCollins Sean Collins

    Albany officers get hurt (boo-boos and owies?, never really clear the extent of the “injuries”), the book is tossed at any and all involved. Cops actually kill people, we get half-assed investigations and community forums, condescension from top brass, and taxpayer funded audio-recording equipment not activated to facilitate a thorough investigation: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Fatal-police-shooting-stirs-rage-2432592.php

    • Polly

      The cops at the foam party had bleach thrown in their eyes. I doubt you’d volunteer for that kind of “ouchie” to be done to you.

      • ChuckB

        The news said a “bleach like substance” that could be a lot of things. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Whatever your “credentials” are as an emergency service worker I doubt you’d verify it. Keep your uninformed opinion to yourself.

        • Polly

          I’m a paramedic in the city and I work regular details with the APD. Having talked to the cops who got bleached, it was a “bleach like substance” only because it had other shit mixed in with it, but it was bleach nonetheless. Instead of trying to tear me down why don’t you fucking listen to the message I’m trying to get across about these bullshit raves. I suspect you won’t do that tho. I suspect you’ll continue to hurl insults and wallow in your self-righteous ignorance.

  • Ted D’Agostino

    hey man i’d like to write for Keep Albany Boring, hmu please my name is Ted D’Agostino and i work for U is Nation, the company producing Masquerave, which was postponed a full month due to this bologna.

    ‘

  • Polly

    I work in the emergency services in Albany and the “shows” at the Armory are 100% awful. Here’s why:

    1. These dance parties, or whatever they are, are usually alcohol free and 18 and over. So what’s the problem? Well, these 18 year olds show up to the event wasted; and not just on alcohol but usually on exstacy and ketamine. Since most of the patrons are so young they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing with these drugs and, if they don’t overdose; they definitely incapacitate themselves. This leads to…

    2. The concert promoters are financially responsible for paying for the ambulances to transport these overdosed and under-aged (often females and wearing skimpy clothes) to the hospital. So what’s the problem? Well, the promoter doesn’t want to pay for transport so they will walk these semi or unconscious patrons a block in any direction and dump them, literally, on the street.

    • http://twitter.com/SeanPCollins Sean Collins

      That’s not true. They have a room in the bldg that is usually filled with EMS workers dealing with the folks you are talking about..

      • Polly

        It’s 100% true. I’m on the street working on these people during and after each show. The ems in the armory can’t handle a kid overdosed on ketamine breathing at a rate of 2/minute.

        • http://twitter.com/SeanPCollins Sean Collins

          I guess I just imagined that room filled with EMS workers. Maybe I was rolling too much face. You’re an idiot.

          • Polly

            You can name call all you want. It doesn’t
            Change the reality of the situation. That room full of emt-b level responders can’t do shit for a serious drug overdose, of which there are easily 1/2 a dozen for each of these fiascos. Judging by your infantile response you’re either one of the promoters who perpetuate this drug orgy or one of the neophytes who get wasted and attend this horseshit.

          • http://twitter.com/SeanPCollins Sean Collins

            You can name call all you want but I’m neither, actually.

    • ChuckB

      Umm can you cite a source or news article about this happening? I’ve seen plenty of people getting taken away in ambulances from the armory for a myriad of reasons other than drug use. Also you should probably learn to spell “ecstasy” before throwing it around like you know what it is. You know nothing of EDM and you should keep your fact-less opinion to yourself until you do.

    • Jess Man

      Polly. No, no, and no. You are wrong. Get facts before you post shit. Please. They aren’t parties, they aren’t drug orgies. They DEFINITELY do not toss “incapacitated” kids on the street. There have always been EMS workers on duty behind the venue, I’ve talked with them myself man. Albany can do what they want with it, they just have no clue what they’re losing concerned with the respect of it’s citizens and monetary issues.

      • Polly

        Dude. I am the one on the street, literally treating these kids, with my own hands. These are the facts. Period. The people who work the venue will tell you everything is fine… Just like they tell the emergency workers. Then, a few hours later, we’re treating multiple drug overdoses. Don’t tell me to get my facts straight. I’m there working on these kids.

        • lala

          if you think these shows are the only places where drugs are used then you are seriously ignorant. the drug use has nothing to do with this article so leave your bs to yourself. its abot the fucking MUSIC. so some kids overdose a lot DONT DO ANY DRUGS OR DRINK THERE. some drink. some do drugs.

          • Polly

            On s normal month in the city of Albany ill get maybe one serious drug overdose. When these “music parties” happen ill get four, five, six serious overdoses in one night. Maybe you’re one of the patrons who don’t do drugs there. Great. Good for you. But just because you and your friends don’t doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. If you think that it doesn’t happen – and happen a lot – just because *you* don’t do it, then you are the one being ignorant.

          • Caleb

            Polly, drug overdoses happen at every music event in the area, regardless of whether or not its a “dance party”. We invite Dave Matthews to come to SPAC every year and there are countless overdoses each year. Drugs are a risk-factor in *any* popular music event, regardless of genre.

            You realize that stopping “drug overdoses” by “stopping the music” is like treating an ingrown nail by cutting off a hand, right?

            /No, I am not a promotor. No, I don’t attend these parties.

  • Watson

    Same shit, different venue. We lost Trinity Church because they didn’t have a similar permit. All because a snobby city council member lives on Lancaster and didn’t want her prestigious block mucked up with “punk” looking kids every weekend.
    I’ll agree with the anti-drug sentiment of the city on these raves though. If you’re going to promote alcohol, it should be 18+ and I always feel iffy about this rave culture and their implicit acceptance of street drugs.

  • http://twitter.com/AnthonyTerrell Anthony

    Nice article Andrew! A lot of the publicity has not made any sort of sense to me. Though regardless, cops should never be injured. No matter what crappy situation you’re in or you can quote N.W.A, cops have a job to do and it should be respected.

    That being said, Albany is a college town and has been for decades. Nothing is new about this, and it’s weird to hear why it’s a big deal. College kids do stupid things, they flip cars and party too hard during “Kegs & Eggs.”

    I cannot vouch for the facts on EMS and statistics, though they’re always present. But I can say that as a hard worker, I go to these shows as often as I can. I will tell you this, it’s a scene. Kids overdose, kids pass out and I’m sure worse things have and will happen. It’s not the musics fault, it’s not the venues fault, and I’m not saying it’s the parents fault. Kids can be stupid, and make stupid decisions. It’s pretty simple though, don’t do drugs.

    My point I guess from all this is I don’t understand why you’d cripple the city of Albany, not just the Armory.

  • maniac 2000

    PLEASE TAKE US SERIOUSLY WE’RE ARTISTS WITH IDEAS AND FEELINGS…I SPENT THREEEEEE HOURSSSSS DOWNLOADING OTHER PEOPLE’S MIXTAPES SO I CAN DJ A THREE DAY LOVE FEST ON A COW FARM THIS WEEKEND RAIN OR SHINE RIGHT DUDZ?? PLUR PLUR PLURRRRRR

  • http://www.facebook.com/allison.babydoll.cunniff Ally Lights

    Moral of the comment story: Polly is an idiot. So is Albany.

  • Dank Meep

    everyone shut up. this event was advertised to a shitty crowd, so a shitty crowd showed up. Nobody that really supports the scene took part in this event and now were all being penalized. Keggs and Eggs ring a bell? Retard UAlbany kids raging the streets of albany causing a riot and ruining public fun for everyone.

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  • anon

    I cosign with Polly. You are all young adults, and if you’re in your 30′s/+ there is a serious problem with your priorities. Id take the word of the guy helping these people. Grow up.