Emerging Talent Loses Practice Space | Where can we put these guys?

Rock on, Mr. Mayor: Coble offers band aid
http://www.thestate.com/local/story/589286.html

By DAWN HINSHAW
dhinshaw@thestate.com

Mayor Bob Coble said having space where emerging bands can practice is important to the city’s efforts to attract young professionals to Columbia — and keep them here.

“This isn’t a nuisance,” Coble said. “This is an asset.”

Coble promised to head up efforts to find “available space that’s appropriate” for the noisy practice sessions.

The mayor was responding to news of a Richland County fire marshal’s ruling that bands can no longer practice at Sumter Street Storage, near the university.

Since “the sheds” opened in 1986, up-and-coming bands, including hometown heroes Hootie and the Blowfish, have rented space there.

But complaints by a neighbor in Shandon prompted the inspection that’s closing rows of metal buildings to musicians at the end of the month.

“We’re looking for anywhere that would be cool to practice,” said Josh Pike, lead singer in one of the 26 bands affected.

Pike said bands will probably scatter. But having a place to practice downtown, at the edge of campus, is ideal, he said.

“We did try this in Irmo at our drummer’s house,” he said, “and we got kicked out of there, too, from noise complaints.”

Contractor Chris Dorsey, who also has a mobile-storage business, said Thursday he feels sorry for the guys scrambling to find a new place to practice.

Dorsey said he’s wondering if there’s a niche market he could fill, maybe by putting up a warehouse in the country somewhere.

“I heard those guys down there since I was in college at USC,” he said. “They’re just in there, having a good time, following their passion.”

Marty Fort said he’d like to see the city subsidize practice space, perhaps requiring musicians to play charity performances in return.

“There is a need, but it’s going to take someone at the city to pull the strings on that to subsidize the space, because musicians don’t have money,” said Fort, who teaches aspiring musicians at his Columbia Arts Academy.

“They’re as nonprofit as you can be.”

Reach Hinshaw at (803) 771-8641.