By Josh Usmani
By now you’ve probably heard about the violence that occurred this weekend outside of The Foundry Concert Club in Lakewood. Saturday evening, as usual, a number of concerts were taking place around town. At some point, early in the evening, two feuding, out-of-town bands (and some of their fans) allegedly made a series of very poor decisions that changed the course of the evening in a very dramatic way.
Although witnesses said the suspects gathered at Brother’s Lounge after originating from Now That’s Class (both in Cleveland, just east of Lakewood), the horrifying crime scene was centralized around The Foundry, which was hosting Firefest 2014 – featuring over a dozen hardcore metal bands.
Witnesses report as many as 50 stereotypical-looking hardcore musicians/fans stormed down Detroit from the parking lot outside of Brother’s Lounge into Lakewood around 7pm yielding machetes, baseball bats and guns. Although multiple shots were fired, the four victims were stabbed and taken to nearby hospitals. Police arrived on the scene quickly and arrested 21 suspects. The scene was horrific. Bullet casings were scattered and blood was splattered down Detroit and in the nearby parking lots. It was like a scene out of an apocalyptic horror movie.
Many local and national publications have already reported on these vague details. However, due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, it’s difficult to do much more than speculate on the motivation of these troubled individuals. Hopefully more information will surface in the coming days to offer some kind of context for this senseless violence.
The Mayor of Lakewood, Michael P. Summers, was quick to mention (via Twitter) that all the arrested suspects were from out of the area or state. “No Lakewood residents involved in Saturday’s fight near W117th. Arrested over 20 from out of area or out of state; charges to be filed today.” This may be the most important detail we need to know to move forward. All of the venues mentioned in connection to this story have been operating for years without any such incident. It appears no local residents had any involvement with Saturday’s tragic events.
Therefore, in hindsight, it’s difficult to point out any security issues that could be fixed moving forward. The venues and local musicians are completely innocent. However, due to the angry nature of the music, it becomes an easy target. For evidence, just look at the concert poster for Saturday’s show at Now That’s Class (above). Apparently, it’s supposed to be a pre-4/20 party featuring DJ Parker, yet the advertisement features the DJ holding a gun up to the viewer’s face, a silhouette of a man firing a gun, and an overall unnecessarily violent and angry tone.
After all, most marijuana-friendly events tend to have a positive tone. There are many stereotypical traits associated with stoners, but anger isn’t one of them. If Saturday’s events had occurred as planned, no one would question the poster, but after Saturday it can become a catalyst for more analysis.
Certainly the music didn’t make anyone do anything against their will. However, one could argue that the negativity of the music is irresponsible. Music has a powerful ability to affect emotions. Therefore, musicians should feel some responsibility to create music that empowers and unites their listeners. Often, angry people view happy people as “fake”; as if the world were so bleak that anyone with a positive outlook must be lying to both themselves and the world around them. Sure, there may be plenty to be upset about, but life is too short to spend it being unhappy.
While it isn’t the only genre to do so, the hardcore metal scene glorifies negativity, anger and aggression. The lyrics rarely seek any kind of deeper understanding or offer any kind of solutions for the issues causing their frustration and anger. Sometimes it can be “anger for anger’s sake.” By focusing exclusively on the negative, people feel like victims to their circumstances, rather than having infinite potential to “be the change we wish to see in the world,” as Gandhi once said. Violence never solves anything. Saturday certainly proved that.
At this point there is only one thing we can do to turn this tragedy into an opportunity. In fact, there’s only ever one thing that can be done universally to turn any tragedy into an opportunity: learn something from it. Do something different tomorrow than you would have yesterday. Reach out to a long-lost friend. Do a random act of kindness for a stranger. Laugh a little louder/longer. Love a little harder. Live a little more.
Josh Usmani is a 27 year old local artist, curator and writer. Since 2008, his work has been featured in over 50 local and regional exhibitions.
11 Responses to “What the Hell Happened in Lakewood Last Weekend?”
John Ettorre
Thanks for the first truly balanced, thoughtful take I’ve read on this situation.
Emilie123
Josh,
You are not only a great artist but also a clear, concise and easy to read, writer.
Now I thoroughly understand what happened the other night, thanks to you.
DJ Parker
DJ Parker has no affiliation with hardcore bands or The Fire Fest. The flier was a reference to the classic Steven Seagal film Marked For Death. Your article is Marked for Misinformation.
Josh Robertson
“DJ Parker” is one of the most kind hearted people I’ve ever met! It’s unfortunate he got dragged into this. That “concert poster” is not some official poster for his show. It’s just a spoof of a Stevan seagal movie that wasn’t even made by him. His last show was wrestling themed and a spoof of wrestlemania. In no way shape or form did he have anything to do with the horrific scene that unfolded last Saturday. He is a great guy! And doesn’t deserve to have his name tossed in there as if he’s a part of this violence. I’ll pray for the innocent victims of this tragedy.
DJ Parker
And for the record, the fight was at 7:15 pm. My set was at 9 pm. So a time machine would have been needed for my show to start a riot. Get the facts right before you report. Or stick to making art. And you should know the flier was “art” anyhow. How would you like if I suggested you censor your work or get mad because you defaced a $5 bill? Food for thought.
Michelle
Violence is never the answer…I agree. This is a very eloquently written article and it leaves me to say that I couldn’t have said it better myself. Peace, love, and happiness bears better fruit than machetes, baseball bats, and guns. Nothing good will ever come from it. Stupid people.
DJ Parker
“They just say anything to assassinate my character. What that show me? Remember. Remember this lack of a conscience…”-Tupac Shakur
JP
A few things about this article don’t add up. What does the audience of “a dozen hardcore metal bands” who were implicated in this incident have to do with dj parker? Were these metal fans planning on attending dj parker’s event several hours later? Was it between sets that these audience members took it upon themselves to pick up a dj parker flyer down the street and use the flyer to stir up all sorts of “angry” emotions? I know in a fit of uncontrollable rage I often switch between listening to “hardcore metal” and old school hip-hop/rap, so perhaps they did too?
Instead of throwing people under the bus, as “an artist” Josh should be looking to better understand peoples’ emotions. For example, what about the artists of old school hip-hop and rap? Do you think that these hip-hop artists lacked a valid reason to be angry? It seems to me that the mark of a good artist isn’t a fixed gear bicycle and tightly worn jeans with a u-lock stuffed into their back pocket (i never understood why you’d lock a bicycle to itself), but instead it’s a certain openness to what’s around them. In my view a “good” artist doesn’t dismiss the anger of particular group of people but looks to understand their anger, so that they might begin to address it through their art instead of violence.
I hope this post makes the author angry because, quite frankly, he should use the anger to become a better researcher. I encourage him to look up the term “temporal asymmetry” (one of the three necessary conditions for causation) and use this as the “catalyst” to apologize to the fellow who calls himself dj parker (before he sues you for defamation of character).
DJ Parker
http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/download-issues/
The new Lakewood Observer shall serve as my vindication.
Jordan Tadic
Josh Usmani, JP was too forgiving. I suggest giving up on your career in posting unprofessional/lazy blogs disguised as “news”. Before you learned to type with a keyboard and post your content to a poorly managed local opinion site, I would have thought you’d know to do a split second’s worth of research before misrepresenting a much-loved local advocate of happiness, fun, music, and art.
If you had any self respect, any respect for local artists, or any conscience for truth, you would take this horribly misrepresenting post down. You should be thoroughly embarrassed by this display of your lazy and disgustingly inaccurate prejudice.
You’ve already improperly influenced John, Emilie, and Michelle. Send them apologies. BTW, Michelle, when you speak of “Happiness Bears” are you actually referring to “Care Bears”?
Jordan Tadic
Sorry for the lame/cheesy joke, Michelle. I couldn’t help that your kind commentary subconsciously made me consider the fact that Care Bears are the antithesis of the FSU thugs that were responsible for this violence. ; )