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Pamela Means And Allette Brooks @ IMC TONIGHT	Current rating: 0
by Zachary C. Miller Email: zach (nospam) ucimc.org (unverified!)	04 Apr 2003
Pamela Means and Allette Brooks, both radical activist performers, will play acoustic guitars and sing at the UCIMC tonight.

All Ages Folk Show Tonight! Allette Brooks and Pamela Means Friday, April 4th @ 8pm All Ages! http://www.pamelameans.com/ http://www.allettebrooks.com/ #file_1# #file_2# The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center (IMC) 218 W. Main St., Urbana, IL 61801, (217) 344-8820 The IMC is an ALL-AGES venue. BYOB if 21+. "Pamela Means is arguably the only Boston-based, Out folkie whose punchy political songs have worn a hole in her guitar." As her latest song "Two Halves" boasts, there is indeed more than one side of Pamela Means. She is aggressive, bold, and attacking. She is shy, humble, and if it need be said, adorable. She is biracial. She is queer. She doesn't like Bush. Pamela Means's "kamikaze guitar style, politically-charged lyrics, and funky 'fro" are all her own. Fittingly, Means has made a habit of quoting one of her deepest inspirations, Audre Lorde. "...I am myself-a Black woman warrior poet doing my work- come to ask you, are you doing yours?" "Allette Brooks offers a fiery brand of folk that compares favorably to such mavericks as Ani DiFranco and Michelle Shocked." Allette Brooks is a driven, passionate singer-songwriter who's breaking the rules and grinning. Allette's deft touch and wit leaves listeners laughing at themselves and our species, while appreciating her skill on the strings. A student of human biology, she recognizes the complexity of environmental/social issues. She focuses on raising awareness rather than preaching solutions. Although, she says, "Being a folk artist, as opposed to being a mainstream pop artist, is inherently political. It's a choice to relate to people on a different level, to be really honest, and to be yourself." Take our survey and get a free sampler CD for the folk music series. http://folk.chambana.net Find out about other all ages shows at the IMC including indie-rock, punk, goth, folk, and alt-country. http://shows.ucimc.org

See also: http://shows.ucimc.org http://folk.chambana.net

Comments

Re: Pamela Means And Allette Brooks @ IMC TONIGHT
by Zach zach (nospam) ucimc.org (verified)	Current rating: 0 05 Apr 2003 Modified: 09:45:36 AM
I just want to mention how completely incredible this show was. I started out pretty nervous because at 8pm there weren't very many people there. But then ADAM BRODSKY showed up. Apparently he thought his show was on Friday rather than Sunday, we cleared that up and he decided to stay to hear Means and Brooks. I was really worried because the night was take back the night (which I hope went well!). But then Amy heroically drove out in her car with a stack of fliers, drove out to find the marchers, and convinced some of them to come to the show. Go Amy! Some folks showed up from Bloomington, having apparently heard about the show on Means' website. At the break between sets I played Jaik Willis (who will be opening for Adam Brodsky) and the Bloomingtoners knew him and were excited that he would be playing. Then as some crowd chitchat started up it turned out that they also knew Adam through a mutual friend. The whole room was so networked. To round out the huge number of songwriters in the room Joni Laurence came to the show as well and one of the Bloomingtoners asked about getting a show at the IMC. Needless to say after the show was over there was a lot of shoptalk about touring and performing and guitars. At least two people came to the show after TBTN as a result of Amy's efforts. And another person came to the show because he turned on his radio for the first time in 6 months and there was Allette playing on We're Only In It For the Music and an announcement about tonight's show. Thanks Dave! I'm telling ya, it was a night of synchronicities and pleasant friendship. People stuck around talking about music and traveling for more than an hour afterwards. Allette had allergies from the midwest and thought it would hurt her voice. But I thought she was completely on target. Her sound was great. Her voice soaring as always. And when she did the Sondheim meets Skynnard song I almost died laughing. Her show was full of life and fun and her playing was beautiful. Pamela came in weilding a gigantic Avalon tube amplifier that was something to behold. She said she was looking for the Big Sound and she got it. When someone suggested that it was too loud she responded that it's never too loud. How's that for folk-punk! I swear this woman lives and breaths music and philosophy. She gave us a lesson in historical black feminist writers that we needed to check out. She played her Martin D-35 guitar so hard I swear that hole grew right then and there. She played fast rockers, slow instrumentals, love songs, radical political songs and everything in between. This show was heaven. Good people. Comfy couches (the Bloomington crew didn't want to leave, since they're coming back on Sunday for Adam's show anyway). Great music. Ahh. Can't wait for Sunday.

Re: Pamela Means And Allette Brooks @ IMC TONIGHT
by Sascha Meinrath sascha (nospam) ucimc.org (verified)	Current rating: 0 06 Apr 2003
This sounds AWESOME!!! Great work Zach -- I'm really looking forward to attending some folks shows in the future. I think it's great that you're not just bring great bands to town, but also creating a community in the best folk tradition. It feels like things are really beginning to gel.