Ted's Polish-Mexican Page

Wednesday night, there was a fight at Skrappy's, an all ages club that mostly caters to teens. Well, more than a teen club, actually. There are bands that play there, sometimes of dubious quality, but it also has become a place for various educational programs to set up shop. The people that run the place are very dedicated to the club and what it offers the teens of our community.

It seems like Skrappy's did the right thing. There was some sort of fight that broke out in the mosh pit at a heavy metal show, and the instigators were quickly thrown out.


An aside here: mosh pit at a metal show? In my day, we had metal shows, and punk shows. Mosh pits were for punk shows. These kids today don't know nothin' from nothin'.


Anyhow, after being thrown out, the fight was carried out on the street, with several of the kids grabbing weapons from their cars. One man, unfortunately, was killed.


From what I have heard, there are no plans by anyone on the city council to shut the place down. I'm glad for this. In the past, it has seemed like anytime even the mildest garbage goes down at a teen spot, or even near one, and there are calls to shut the place down. Witness the anti-rave hysteria of the board of supervisors a few years ago. One supervisor, a boomer who brags about being at Woodstock, claimed that there might be some drug use. Heaven forbid, keep them away from the Fairgrounds. Ironically, this supe had no trouble with Santana shows at the County Fairgrounds. I bet there was no drug use there.

The same thing happened with the Downz. As far as I can tell, the only bad stuff that went down there had to do with one employee who was quietly fired (and then became a city council aide...). But, people who should have known better always assumed that something, something bad had to be going down there constantly.

People would be amazed at how little bad stuff goes on at these clubs. Mostly, the kids that go want to hear the music, because there is nowhere else for them to go for that. When I used to go to the Pink Cadallac, there was probably drug use, but I never saw it. Mostly because me and my friends were more interested in seeing bands than looking to score a joint. Besides, pot would have more easily been found on the well patrolled street outside the club.


Something interesting: the man that was killed was 27 and from Mesa. Not a teen, and not part of the local scene. I have no idea what goes on at Phoenix area all ages clubs, so this might be a regular way to behave in that crowd. It isn't something I've seen here.


That's something important to point out. This is unusual for Skrappy's. It is well known as a safe place for kids to hang out. Certainly safer than the internet cafe (no regulations!) down the street from it. When is someone going to shut that place down? I hope that our city's leaders don't succumb to pressure from snotty boomers who see trouble where ever two teens are gathered.


What is amazing is how quickly supporters of the club had to say "It will not be closed." How much stupidity had to go down at The New West or Guido's before anyone suggested closing them down? Heck, there have been two riots in front of O'Malley's, one while a congressman was there. That place is still open.


The music scene that exists in Tucson now would be hard to imagine without Skrappy's and its predecessors. Giant Sandworms, the Sidewinders and the Pills all played an all ages dive called Nino's in the mid 1980's. The Bled, a Tucson band that is developing a national following, got its start at Skrappy's.


Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.