I'm having a not-so-great physical health day, so forgive me if this isn't the most clearheaded it could be, but something has been on my mind. Besides, physical health is related to this too: The idea of "competition."

When Tyson and I first started doing our own events here in Great Falls — just for something fun to additionally contribute with our skills — someone asked another guy who frequently promoted local musicians and booked other touring indie/punk bands if he minded that we were also doing similar work.

"No! I'm glad to not be the only one!" he said. (More or less. It was a long time ago, but that’s the gist of the answer.)

He relayed this conversation to me one night, and we agreed that knowing that someone else believes in contributing to a local scene is a good thing. Cities with a creative culture are healthier cities, after all.

Music gigs are far from the only thing Tyson and I have done, but because we knew of at least two more people who were also doing similar work, we made friends and knew there was an audience out there. It's not thankless, because you get a good night out of it, and your friends also enjoy themselves, but it's still work, and often, breaking even financially is the best you're going to do (which is fine). It's heartening when someone else also likes/liked doing that work, especially when you've encountered people who are flaky as shit, and you hear horror stories from touring musicians.

Now, there may be certain individuals I don't want to work with for various reasons, and specific venues that can get in the fucking sea (many of them no longer exist), but for the most part, anyone making a positive contribution should absolutely feel free to do their own thing. Why would you need MY permission? I’m certainly not the boss, and a rising tide raises all ships. As far as “competition” goes, making sure we weren’t conflicting with other events held the same date is as far as we’ve ever thought about “competing.” I like knowing there are other people who believe in creating a local scene filled with music, art, and anything else that seems fun.

We like to mention the stuff we think is interesting on our Electric City Creative page (yes, I know FB is terribly uncool, but Great Falls is often ten years behind the times [semi-affectionate] and we still use it), especially now that we do fewer events ourselves. I forget to share all I find interesting, but I try, and if a friend or acquaintance asked, I absolutely would share their event.

Compared to the 2010s, Great Falls is in a slight fallow period, especially since the peak-pandemic period saw the closure of one of our most frequently used venues (RIP Back Alley Pub), and the aforementioned promoter friend has decided his many decades of service was enough and he’d like a little less headache in his life. (A completely fair decision! I get it!) Electric City Creative has done fewer events, partially because of my increased health limitations, and partially because Tyson has planned more events for the coffee shop he works at, which aren’t strictly ECC. But we’re essentially a staff of 2. Turns out, being chronically ill in your 40s is a lot harder than it was in your late 20s/early 30s. WHO KNEW. ha

Still, stuff is still happening locally, even if it all looks a bit different in a post-2020 world. I’m so glad, even if I don’t get out as often as I used to. ECC is still doing a few things. I hope there are new younger people who will make their own events, and some of us can be the old punks at the back. Someone get me a decent place to sit!

If everyone involved over the years poisoned their brains with the idea of “competition,” it would be that much harder to get anything done. How do you make friends (and build an audience) if you see each other as competition? How do you ask for help, if you spent your time trying to control everything yourself? If you’ve never extended a hand in return?

You can expand this notion to all sorts of things, professional or otherwise. I see it with writers too — people sometimes get tetchy when someone gets a particular publishing deal/gig/etc. There is not a finite amount of success in the world! Remember that person who wrote a whole advice column essay mad/sad that they didn’t have a job at Buzzfeed? That they thought all the cool kids worked at Buzzfeed and grumble grumble kick-rocks, etc ? And yes, many cool kids did work at Buzzfeed, but LOL look at Buzzfeed now, and what those ex-employees have to say about it. Look at what the “personal essay industrial complex” did to us in 2010s! The embarrassment I would feel for airing all that for likely no money! (The site that published this, The Awl, is merely an archive now. Alas.)

Those ex-Buzzfeed people did well because they are talented, recognize the power in promoting things they like, and they were in the right place at the right time. But they didn’t take anything from this particular writer who was in their feelings.

The only person you are in competition with is yourself. You take what you’ve learned, and you apply it to the next thing. That’s it.

Anyway: This is a long way of saying that the next time you are in your feelings about what is or isn’t happening for you in a professional or volunteer capacity, go help someone who needs it. Talk about the music you like, the books you like, the events you hope to see you’re friends at. Everyone will be better off because we’re all in this together. Build something. As our ECC header image has said for over a decade: The best way to complain is to make things.

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In other news:

My 100 Soups project continues. I’m up to 18 different soups now. My family is maybe tired of soup.

We were in Missoula recently to see AFI, and they were great.

Speaking of concerts, have you seen the Aadam Jacobs Collection of Live Music Tapes? Over 10,000 concerts recorded over four decades in Chicago and elsewhere. So far, I’ve listened to a bit of the New Order selections, but there is a wide swath of music represented here. Give it a peek.

Currently reading: London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe. Unsurprisingly, it is just as compelling and well-written as his previous books.

Also listening to the audiobook of Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden. I’m only a third of the way through, but it’s good so far. Shout out to the library (and the Libby app) for making it easy to check out books, audio or otherwise.

Until next time, friends!