Show Preview: Boomslang Presents: Rage Against the Machine Tribute
Jackie O’s /Saturday, April 19, 2014
By Abbie Doyle, Copy Editor
A truly remarkable event is taking place at Jackie O’s this Saturday night. Boomslang, a band spawned in Athens one rowdy Halloween evening, is hosting the event in order to raise social awareness about drug addiction and the steps that can be taken to reduce its rates.
Michael Joseph, keyboardist for Boomslang, is extremely passionate about this cause and the social awareness efforts made by Rage Against the Machine. “Rage Against the Machine had a profound effect on us. Not only their extremely kickass music, but their social awareness, and how much they did to raise consciousness that what we read in our public textbooks--that every government is immoral and the US is always the good guy--may not be true.”
The tribute is an event spanning two days, spending Friday night in Cincinnati and traveling to Athens on Saturday. “After we were able to lock down Jackie O’s for the 4/19 date, we thought we should do something special for what 4/20 represents--it’s not just a date where people get together and smoke marijuana to get all buck wild and crazy,” said Joseph. “Smoking weed is a peaceful, social and, for some, a medicinal activity that harms no one. If there is no victim, there is no crime.”
Joseph elaborated further, being sure to point out the flawed jailing system in the United States. “The most dangerous things that happens in these situations [of harmless drug use] is where the system attempts to intervene, creating a class of criminals out of otherwise law-abiding persons.”
“A truly free society that allowed people to make their own voluntary decisions but held people accountable to them [would see] addiction rates drop drastically. The proper way to treat addiction is not facilitated through encaging these people with criminals who are actually violent offenders. All the prohibition of any substance does is claim ownership of others’ bodies, saying that you know what is better for them than themselves. The only way to properly help is by providing real education," said Joseph.
Joseph elaborated, describing how heroin is an illegal drug and those who abuse it are shamed, but heroin has been legalized in the form of methadone, oxycodone, oxycottin and others. It is typically these pharmaceuticals that create addiction in users, not drugs bought from an illegal market. “We currently have a system that creates addiction and then jails people for it,” said Joseph.
This is the first show Boomslang has played to raise social awareness. However, Joseph came to know the members of Papadosio very well during his time spent in Athens. Papadosio strongly advocates unity, love and cooperation and raises social awareness about how, collectively, society can make a difference. “It is amazing how seeing bands like Rage Against the Machine, Papadosio and Pink Floyd can open people’s minds,” said Joseph.
There will be many social advocates in attendance, including a speaker who will be discussing the ways in which people can help hemp become an accessible resource for clothing, housing, roads and energy. Along with the speaker is the president of the Southeastern chapter of NORML, who will explain how citizens of Ohio can work for the legalization of marijuana.
The president of the UC Chapter of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy is coming to speak about how individuals can be active in their everyday lives to end drug addiction and the ever-raising rates of incarcerated “criminals.” In addition to the many speakers attending, Jackie O’s is brewing two beers in honor of the show--Hop Ryot Control and Bombtrack.
Joseph strongly supports coming to the event for the sole reason of creating a dialogue. “Start a discussion by showing the side of the story you don’t hear on TV or from the government, to show how several different people have drawn their individual conclusions that this [judicial] process is corrupt. Please come with an open mind, and you may decide that you are for this one thing, or against something else. That is wonderful, and it is [Boomslang’s] hope that whatever conclusions you may draw are based on empiricism and reason, not mysticism and superstition.”
Emcee Shwartz from The Dysfunktional Family and Wes Hunter from Cincinnati electro hip-hop duo Aludel will be doing the emcee work, and the show begins at 9 p.m. with a small cover charge for those under 21.
