Willie Nelson once said that “once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.”
I guess it’s only fitting to quote a country legend who has a statue and a street named in his honor in Austin, Texas, the place he now calls home. In a few days, I’ll be calling Austin my home as well.
I’ve recently accepted a position as a page designer and editor for GateHouse Media in Austin. Today is my final day at the News-Press, and this edition of The Shuffle will be the last I write before my very good friend and St. Joe Live cohort Andrew Gaug takes over next week.
It brings me great pleasure to “pass the torch” on to Andrew, the same way Blake Hannon handed it to me back in 2011. Andrew and I have engaged in lively discussions of music, movies, theater and art over the past two years — and only 95 percent of those discussions have devolved to giggling like fifth-graders while reliving old episodes of “The Simpsons.” But seriously, the guy knows his stuff, he’s passionate about the job, he immerses himself in the arts community and he’ll apply his wealth of insight to both local and national entertainment topics. He’ll thrive long after I’m gone.
It feels so bizarre to be walking away from this job. For the last six-plus years, it rarely felt like a job. At some point, it became a civic duty. That probably sounds ridiculous to you, but it’s what I truly believe.
The arts and entertainment community in St. Joseph was far different when I moved here in 2008. It just seemed, well, fractured.
St. Joe boasted a wealth of artists, but all of them seemed to be tinkering with their own things or were simply frustrated. After Flee the Seen called it quits, the live music landscape had a surplus of popular cover bands but only a handful of original music acts making any kind of impact. Meanwhile, Robidoux Resident Theatre was still in the midst of its revitalization and Missouri Western’s theater program was little more than an afterthought. Rico McNeela hadn’t taken the reins at the Saint Joseph Symphony yet. And with the economy in turmoil that year, tough times were on the horizon for all of the arts organizations.
There was kind of a dark cloud hanging over this city, and the people pining for the days of yore only compounded the gloominess. “I remember when KISS and Black Sabbath played Civic Arena, not these losers!” “I wish we still had a place like the Cowtown!” “I don’t want to see ‘Rent.’ I want to see ‘Oklahoma’ again!” “There’s nothing to do here anymore!” It was difficult for any kind of new “scene” to gain traction with so many people stuck in a past that had evaporated.
Many people in St. Joseph are still stubbornly stuck in the past, but just as many have taken a progressive, harmonious attitude toward local arts and entertainment. For those who have, thank you. Sincerely, profoundly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
During these last six years, I’ve tried to be more than an entertainment journalist. I’ve tried to be an advocate. You would, too, if you saw so many good, promising things going on while covering your beat. Some have accused me of being a cheerleader or celebrating mediocrity from time to time. The way I see it, my work with St. Joe Live always aimed to foster potential. Lots of great strides were made in the local arts and entertainment scene in recent years, and while I’m certainly not responsible for any of them, I was very fortunate to be able to tell you why they were meaningful, why they struck a chord or simply why they were fun/cool/awesome.
Today, St. Joseph bands are making regional (and in a few cases, national) impact with their own music. Between the Sculpture Walk, First Saturdays and some new galleries, visual art has a larger presence in the city than ever before. The Missouri Western theater program is attracting Broadway players to their productions while its students are finding success after school. All of the Downtown arts organizations have put together some fine programming in the last few years. Music at the Mansion, the Beer Walk for the Arts and tons of fundraising concert events have sprung up, and they’re all worthwhile.
I could keep going and going, but I’ll get to my point: It’s all a sign of progress, and progress is something you should cherish and nurture along.
Let’s go back to that Willie Nelson quote from the beginning. I’ve learned that a positive attitude goes a long way. Unfortunately, negativity has been the dominant voice in this town for far too long. But needless complaining will never lead to progress. Encouragement and constructive, well-thought criticism always will.
In other words, don’t be a narrow-minded jerk. Support local artists and support each other. You’ll see positive results.
(1) comment
Bon chance, Shea. we lose a great advocate with your leaving but no one can derail the great progress being made here in St. Joseph. thank you so much for being your own relentlessly positive self. if the optimists here see the glass as half full, i would say that you were standing there holding the pitcher a lot of the time these past years.
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