I think that the institutionalized arts are one thing, and I think the street level arts are another thing all together.

I believe that for a city of this size, the arts are someething that has been put in the bigger rooms. And for the most part, those are static forms.

I seek the more challenging things. The things that the benefactors might cringe at. Those things.

I believe that they exist, in some form, but am unsure as to why people seem to hide their artistic sensibilities.

My snobbery might be getting in the way.

“It is true that Wausau has a tremendous arts community, including such wonderful institutions such as the Leigh Yawkey-Woodson Art Museum, The Center for the Visual Arts, the Wausau Conservatory of Music, Wausau Dance Theater and many others. ”

It doesn’t make sense to me…what am I missing?

cheers, Barry

What I want to find is the creative types to write about. I am looking, all day long.

I get the “Were hiding” vibe. Or the we do not trust the paper thing.

I just want to write about people, celebrate creativity.

I can name 5. Jeff Janikowski, Tom Jordan, Cole Holiday, Jeff Sandbom, Andy Zynda.

In my defense, I was on unisom, waiting for sleep. And there was the letter incident.

I do not think I trashed local music in the Lucky Stiffs post, I reread it and it was one direct sentence.

But again, thanks for expecting more of me Charles. You have the ear to expect that, and for me not to challenge you to the Festivus Rites of Strength.

That’s not even the point, Dino. You’re supposed to be one of Wausau’s arts mavens, somebody who cares and knows deeply about local music. As this blog describes you, you are “passionate about the people and places of his hometown and it shows.” You worked at a community radio station (which I hope returns), and you’ve booked a wide variety of music around the era. You’re also, I point out again, the main music critic for the city’s supposedly “alternative” weekly, and you’ve written extensively, and quite positively, about a variety of local bands.

And yet, between this comment and your previous entry, “Music Is A Restorative Art,” you’ve displayed real, disturbing contempt for the very musicians whom you (supposedly) support and who – indirectly – pay at least part of your salary. Here you slam them for what you call their lack of “creativity,” which is quite interesting coming from somebody who – as far as I know – is not a musician. In the previous post, you also trashed the very idea of “local music,” which once again makes me wonder how and why you can come up with all the praise you lavish upon local bands in the CITY PAGES.

Given your disdainful remarks concerning Wausau’s music scene, which – as I said – hold local bands up to ridiculously high standards (Sun Ra, Ornette, Sonic Youth), I can’t understand why any local band would want to have anything to do with you or your opinions.

I’m sorry if this sounds harsh, and I may very well be overreacting, but I get angrier and angrier the more I reflect on the style and substance of this mean-spirited post. I’d like to think that you’re smarter, and more soulful, than this, Dino, and it hurts.

I’m not saying Wausau’s a musical Shangri-La by any means, but I think you’re out of line.