by Emma Boyce

Dozens of people gathered today at Kermit’s Treme Speakeasy on Basin St. in response to Kermit Ruffins' earlier Facebook call to action to come together and get a plan to "stop the city from taking live entertainment away from small clubs."  Last week, DJ Soul Sister's HUSTLE party and other weekly gigs fell silent Mimi’s in the Marigny. Earlier, Siberia Bar, and, for a week, Circle Bar had to cease live music as a result of the city government’s “aggressive” enforcement of old zoning laws and sound ordinances. 

With the line of people running outside the door, the Restaurant & Bar failed to fit the funky hodgepodge of musicians, heated club owners, attorneys, journalists, who showed up to support music and culture in New Orleans. Scott Hutcheson, the mayor's advisor on cultural economy, showed up mostly to listen, and spoke briefly at the end of the meeting.

Ruffins, who got a permit from the City Council to reopen the famed Ernie K-Doe Mother-in-Law Lounge last week, proposed a march on city hall to take place on Wednesday, October 25 with over 1,000 people, including big musicians like the Rebirth Brass Band, Wynton Marsalis and Harry Connick Jr.

“We need to alert the media all over the world and let them know what’s going on,” Ruffins said.

Until that date, however, groups are encouraged to continue meeting weekly to organize one coherent plan. Dissenters agreed they cannot just go up to the steps of City Council hollering a hundred different things.  The mix of supporters brought together by Ruffins plans to unify under one specific goal to present to the City.

One attendee suggested that the city develop an artist council to represent the musicians and business owners being targeted by the city council’s permit predicament.  Audience members also brought up incidences of people treating musicians and street vendors poorly because of the recent uproar over noise complaints and absent permits.  

One out-of-towner pointed out that complaining about the music in areas like Marigny is like “buying a condo on the beach and then bitching about the tide.”

According to music proponents, tourists don’t come to New Orleans to sit in a silent restaurant, or walk tame French Quarter streets.  They argue instead that visitors of New Orleans come for its Second Lines, making each block a party, for the jazz that flows out of an open door and enlivens the street, and for its spontaneity.  Many people view the City Council enforcement of permits as them turning their back on everything that New Orleans represents and stands for, a city built on music, culture and being loud.  

“[Music] is what makes the city great,” a man said, taking the microphone, “they’re killing our golden goose.”  

Participants at the meeting said The City is asking for club owners to comply with out-of-date ordinances that require club owners to have permits, but the mayor’s office has yet to provide a simple, one-stop shop for licensing permits.  

“Until this happens,” said Ruffins' attorney, “why the rush?”

For the moment, protesters of the City's revenue sweeps want one thing: a moratorium. They demand at least a 60-day moratorium, so they at least have time to obtain a permit.  Scott Hutchinson, the mayor’s advisor, who adamantly reminded his audience that “it is not a music permit [but a] zoning permit,” said “they have been talking about a grace period" at the city, but he is not certain when that will be implemented.