Tag: News/Announcements

News/Announcements by William Ruben Helms

News/Announcements: Happy 14th Birthday, JOVM!

I’m leaving Wichita today and I’m on my way back home to Corona, Queens. In the upcoming days and weeks, expect to see pictures, words and more from the inaugural Elsewhere Festival, as well as countless other things from my weekend in Kansas’ biggest city. (Thank you Midtopia and Marauder!)

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post: Although I’m traveling and working, the show still has to go on as much as humanly possible. So let’s get to it, right?

I started this site 14 years ago today. 14 years of anything — especially a job — is an exceedingly long time. In the blogosphere, that’s roughly 22 lifetimes. Now, when I started JOVM, I was felt as though I had no real choice but to go out on my own. I didn’t feel — or believe — that I’d get a fair shot to do what this site has become with another outlet.

I’ve long felt a desire to create something similar to the wildly eclectic, dynamic, global sort of environment I grew up immersed in as a young, Black boy from Corona, Queens. And I didn’t regularly see the environment I grew up in represented in the music magazines and sites that I loved to read. To me, that’s a real weakness because — well, there’s amazing music out there that’s not getting the love that it should both nationally and internationally.

Now, when I started tis site, I couldn’t have imagined the opportunities, the things I’ve covered and the things I’ve experienced to have ever happened.

  • I’ve covered roughly 1,100-1,200 shows in NYC, with a handful of shows in Chicago, Baltimore and Philadelphia
  • I’ve covered about a dozen or more festivals, including traveling to Montreal for M for Montreal twice — in 2019 and last year
  • I’ve been a panelist at Mondo.NYC Festival and at New Colossus Festival, speaking about PR, promotion and press for indie artists, giving my perspective as a indie blogger
  • I made a cameo in a JOVM mainstay’s music video — and it’s a very noticeable spot towards the end of the video 
  • I’ve photographed George Clinton, Patti LaBelle, Buddy Guy, Snoop Dogg, Blondie, Nile Rodgers, Roky Erickson, Philip Bailey, Blind Boys of Alabama, and a growing list of legendary and beloved artists, as well as this site’s growing list of mainstays
  • By the time, this posts, I would have been a panelist at the inaugural Elsewhere Music Festival and Conference in Wichita, speaking about creating a career in music

With this site, I’ve managed to carve out a unique path for myself — and in the blogosphere. Because music media — and generally the media world — is an incredibly homogeneous space, the coverage that you see as a consumer and fan tends to come from a similar perspective. If you don’t believe me, look at the editorial staff at your favorite music magazine or website. It explains why certain artists, genres and styles are covered over others. But it also explains why you see the exact same coverage of the same artists, genres and styles, too. 

I’m looking forward to what year 14 holds for JOVM. And hopefully with your support, I can keep this thing going. Now, as you know, I’ve said this many times: All work — including creative work — is impossible without money. After all, time is money. Effort is money. Then add all the expenses it takes to actually work. 

Unsurprisingly, this site and the work that makes it possible is impossible without money. It’s a simple — and often frustrating — fact of life. So, if you’ve been frequenting this site over the past handful of years, there are a handful of folks I want to thank once again for their support:  

Sash

Alice Northover

Bella Fox

Jenny MacRostie

Janene Otten 

All of those folks have been generous Patreon patrons. Every and any amount really helps keeps this sort of journalism and criticism alive and ongoing. So if you’re able and willing, please feel free to check out the Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/TheJoyofViolentMovement. 

Additionally, I have to thank the helpful, hardworking and dedicated folks at Creatives Rebuild New York. I’m proud, gratified and humbled to have been included in their 18-month Guaranteed Income for Artists program. Understandably, being included was also deeply vindicating. Someone out there thought my work — this very work! — was worth supporting financially. Obviously, the funds from it have managed to keep this labor of love going during one of the most uncertain periods in recent human history, while lessening some of the normal financial pressures of being an American artist, creator and journalist. 

I also found out about Asian Arts Initiative’s Sound Type Workshop through Creatives Rebuild New York. So, I just can’t thank those folks enough. And I’ll forever be in their debt. 

I must thank the folks at the Asian Arts Initiative in Philadelphia for selecting me for the Sound Type Music Writer Workshop. I’ll be back in Philly in July, and I’m looking forward to seeing the AAI team and the rest of the cohort again. Plus, some new Philly friends. 

There are other ways you can support. 

You can also support by checking the JOVM shop. I sell prints in various sizes. I also have bumper stickers. Check it out: https://www.joyofviolentmovement.com/shop 

You can also support my following me on the following platforms:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/william_ruben_helms 

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/yankee32879 and https://www.twitter.com/joyofviolent 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheJoyofViolentMovement

And you can hire me for headshots, portraits and events. Seriously, I’m available for that, too. You can click here: https://www.photobooker.com/photographer/ny/new-york/william-h?duration=1?duration=1# or you can contact me directly.

Happy birthday to one of the best jobs I’ve ever had!

News/Announcements by William Ruben Helms

News/Announcements: Shoutouts to Patreon Patrons, Creatives Rebuild New York and Asian Arts Initiative

The Joy of Violent Movement turns 14 in June. 14 years of doing anything is a very long time. It’s close to a quarter of my life. And for the blogosphere, that’s roughly somewhere between 10-139 lifetimes. Now, it hasn’t always been easy. There have been moments, where it felt impossible to manage this thing and to keep it going. To be frank, as the kids say “the math ain’t matching.” But for the most part, I can say this: I’ve felt and believed with every fiber of my being that I needed to be brave and bold, and go out on my own, because I didn’t believe that I’d really get a fair shot to do this work for anyone else. 

I’ve said this for many years: I’ve long felt strong desire — and need — to create something similar to the wildly eclectic, dynamic and global sort of environment I grew up immersed in as a young Black boy in Corona, Queens. Unsurprisingly, whenever I remember I read my favorite music magazines and sites, I never saw the world I grew up in being covered or represented in any significant or meaningful way. 

From my own experiences working in book publishing and as a music journalist, I’ve learn that as much as you can demand fairness, diversity and inclusion, it’s still ultimately up to the powers in control to see it, hear it, understand it, take it to heart and actually do something about it. So what do you do when those in power don’t get it — or don’t want to get it? Well, then it might be time to grit your teeth and try to do it your own damn self. 

When I started this site back in 2020, I din’t — and just couldn’t have — imagine the majority of the things I’ve experienced, seen and covered throughout its history to have ever happened. 

What will JOVM’s 14th year hold? Generally speaking my hope is always for bigger and better for the site for y’all as readers. Well, I’m a member of the inaugural cohort of Asian Arts Initiative’s (AAI) Sound Type Music Writers Workshop in Philadelphia.

Sound Type is AAI’s music festival designed to support and uplift new, courage music from the Asian Diaspora and beyond. The Music Writers Workshop will provide journalists and critics a series of workshops, gatherings and mentorships meant to help held build a sustainable ecosystem of BIPOC musicians and writers of criticism. The writers will attend and write about the concerts and other music programs at the festival — and it’ll be published after AAI’s 2024 season.

I said this to my former boss and very dear friend on Twitter — or whatever the fuck Elon wants to call it these days: “Sometimes, in the throes of things, it’s easy to forget all of our accomplishments. And when you do get a chance to look back on things, it’s astonishing.” But as I think of it now, I should have added: You know, the other thing I realized is that in the rush and busyness of my life, I don’t always have the time or the ability to fully absorb everything. Before writing this post, I was talking with my mother about some of my current and evolving frustrations. At some point, I mentioned the Sound Type Workshop and said that because of its emphasis on BIPOC folks, it’s a real acknowledgment of issues within the field. For that, I feel seen. It’s the rare time that I’ve felt so seen. 

Next month, I’ll be off to Wichita to take part of a panel on the risks and reward of having a career in music at the inaugural Elsewhere Music Festival and Conference. I’m honored and flattered to be taking part. With almost 20 years as a freelance journalist and photographer, I know I’ll have plenty to say that will be informative and hopefully inspirational. Thank you Midtopia and Marauder Group!

Of course, with your support, I can keep this unique space going. I’ve said this ad infinitum through this site, my social media feeds and to friends and family: All work — especially creative work — is impossible without money. Time is money. Effort is money. And it always costs money for the thing(s) that you need to actually do and exhibit the work. 

There are a handful of folks I need to thank for their continued support: 

  • Sash
  • Alice Northover
  • Bella Fox
  • Jenny MacRostie
  • Janene Otten 

All of those folks have been generous Patreon patrons. Every and any amount really helps keeps this sort of journalism, photojournalism, and criticism alive and ongoing. 

So if you’re able and willing, please feel free to check out the Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/TheJoyofViolentMovement. Whatever you can give is appreciated and will help. Independent journalists and artists are small businesses. And supporting small businesses survive and become sustainable is desperately needed — especially if they’re Black businesses. 

Additionally, I have to thank the helpful, hardworking and dedicated folks at Creatives Rebuild New York. I’m proud, gratified and humbled to have been included in their 18-month Guaranteed Income for Artists program. Understandably, being included was also deeply vindicating. Someone out there thought my work — this very work! — was worth supporting financially. Obviously, the funds from it have managed to keep this labor of love going during one of the most uncertain periods in recent human history, while lessening some of the normal financial pressures of being an American artist, creator and journalist. 

I also found out about the Sound Type Workshop through Creatives Rebuild New York. So, I just can’t thank those folks enough. And I’ll forever be in their debt. 

I must thank the folks at the Asian Arts Initiative in Philadelphia for selecting me for the Sound Type Music Writer Workshop. I’ll be back in Philly in July, and I’m looking forward to seeing the AAI team and the rest of the cohort again. Plus, some new Philly friends.

There are a few ways that you can support this site and my work.You can also support by checking the JOVM shop. I sell prints in various sizes. I also have bumper stickers. Check it out: https://www.joyofviolentmovement.com/shop 

You can also support my following me on the following platforms:

You can hire me for headshots, portraits and events. Seriously, I’m available for that, too. You can click here: https://www.photobooker.com/photographer/ny/new-york/william-h?duration=1?duration=1# or you can contact me directly.

I’m an Eargasm Earplugs Earinflunecer. Buy a pair, protect your hearing and save 10% by clicking on this code: https://lnkd.in/ewX8ezKZ. I do get a percentage of each sale from that discount code. 

Lastly, keep on reading. Without y’all, none of this would be possible.

News/Announcements by William Ruben Helms

Happy May Day! And with Spring fully upon us, that means more festival announcements, y’all! So let’s get to it.

Richmond, VA-based music festival Iron Blossom Festival is presented in collaboration with:

Starr Hill Presents, an independently owned and operated concert promoter based in Charlottesville, VA that promotes over 300 events each year, ranging from small club shows to multi-day festivals. The company operates multiple local venues and have partnered in festivals across the country, including Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, SXSW, Pilgrimage and more.

IMGoing Events, a full-service, independent entertainment company providing first-class live experiences and an innovative leader in the production, booking and marketing of live entertainment events including festivals, concerts and all types of special events. The company creates creates premier concerts and event experiences by offering the most intimate engagements.

Haymaker Productions, a production and promotion company that has been producing and promoting concerts in the Richmond area since 2002. The Haymaker Productions team also provides production support for events such as the Olympics, Burning Man, World Cup and Formula One racing while continuing to curate the area’s favorite outdoor concerts at Maymount.

Grand Rising Curations, an independent concert and festival promoter producing shows and providing talent buying, marketing, ticketing and production services throughout the United States.

Iron Blossom Music Festival will return to Richmond, VA for the second year. Taking place September 21, 2024 – September 22, 2024, the festival will be an end of summer celebration with two days of incredible music, food, art and fun at the Training Center on Leigh (formerly Bon Secours Training Center).

The festival draws from its host city’s vibrant and diverse community to bring fans a unique musical experience, with local artists sharing the stage with regional acts and national headliners. This year’s headliners include indie folk-leaning indie rock outfit Mt. Joy; CAAMP, who will be playing their only Southeast show this year; Americana group Turnpike Troubadours and Grammy-nominated soul outfit Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. The festival’s lineup also includes Trampled by Turtles, Hippo Campus, Joy Oladokun, Indigo De Souza, The California Honeydrops, Royel Otis, Sumbuck, Chance Peña, Say She She, River Whyless, Susto, SG Goodman, Julia Pratt, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Victoria Canal, Dogpark, Jack Wharff & The Tobacco Flatts, and Kenneka Cook.

Iron Blossom Music Festival’s second edition will be expanding this year’s footprint to include a larger food court an artisan bazaar, a GA+ Lounge and additional free water stations and shade structures while still offering the best of Central Virginia’s food, beverage and maker communities. Fans will continue to enjoy farm to table and delicious street foods, craft beats and cocktails, and wears from dozens of artisan vendors. A VIP experience is also being offered, giving fans up-close views, an exclusive lounge with cash bars, vendors, and more.

Fans can guarantee themselves Tier 1 ticket pricing by signing up for the exclusive email/text presale at IronBlossomFestival.com. Tickets will be on sale to the general public tomorrow at noon at IronBlossomFestival.com.

“Last year’s event truly was a celebration of the vibrant community here in Richmond. We can’t wait to bring everyone together again for another amazing weekend of music,” IMGoing Events’ Ken MacDonald says.

“The city of Richmond continues to grow and thrive and the success of Iron Blossom is because of the people who live here and their enthusiasm for art and culture, especially live music. From the top notch lineup to the incredible food and beverage programming, Iron Blossom will again be one for the books” Haymaker Productions’ Tom Beals says.

Iron Blossom Lineup 

  • Mt. Joy
  • CAAMP
  • Turnpike Troubadours
  • Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
  • Trampled by Turtles
  • Hippo Campus
  • Joy Oladokun
  • Indigo De Souza
  • The California Honeydrops
  • Royel Otis
  • Sumbuck
  • Chance Pena
  • Say She She
  • River Whyless
  • Susto
  • SG Goodman
  • Julia Pratt
  • Sarah Shook & The Disarmers
  • Victoria Canal
  • Dogpark
  • Jack Wharff & The Tobacco Flatts
  • Kenneka Cook

 

News/Announcements by William Ruben Helms

It’s spring and y’all know what that means! Summer festival announcement time! So let’s get to it.

Woodsist Festival is a collaboration between:

  • Woodsist, an indie label founded back in 2006 by Woods‘ Jeremy Earl. Founded in Brooklyn, the label is currently based in Stone Ridge, NY. For more information on the label, check out: https://www.woodsist.com
  • Impact Concerts, the Hudson Valley’s premiere concert and festival producer, creating carefully curated music and lifestyle events showcasing internationally renowned artists alongside local crafts, food, libations and cannabis. For more information on the production company, check out: https://www.impactconcerts.com. 
  • Arrowood Farms, a Hudson Valley-based sustainably-minded farm, brewery, distillery, dining and event destination that regularly hosts concerts and festivals including Woodsist Festival, Dirt Farmer Festival, Felice County Fair and Follow The Arrow Festival. For more information, check out https://arrowoodfarms.com. 
  • Ground Control Touring is a boutique booking agency based in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, offering international tour booking services to a tightly focused roster of artists. Their hands-on approach to the careers of their clients has taken the recent form of producing bespoke festival and curatorial properties alongside them, including both Woodsist Festival and Felice County Fair in the Hudson Valley and additional events elsewhere throughout North America. For additional information, check out: http://www.groundcontroltouring.com

Started back in 2009, the inaugural Woodsist Festival took place in Brooklyn and featured a lineup of Thee Oh Sees, alongside acts like Beach Fossils, Real Estate, and Kurt Vile. Since then, the festival has taken place in several different locations including Big Sur, Point Reyes National Seashore and Pioneertown, CA. The festival has been presented at its current home of Arrowood Farms since 2019 in partnership with Ground Control Touring and Hudson Valley-based concert promoters Impact Concerts. The festival has played there annually since 2021.

Woodsist Festival returns to Accord, NY‘s Arrowood Farms. Taking place September 21, 2024 – September 22, 2024, this year’s lineup, which was curated by Woods’ Jeremy Earl, features headliners Yo La Tengo, Real Estate and Jessica Pratt, along with Woods, Haliu Mergia, the acclaimed Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Jeff Parker, Ethan de L’Aïr, The Messthetics, 75 Dollar Bill Big Band, Rosali, Mystic 100s, Florry and Sylvia on two alternating stages.

Arrowood Farms will also feature food from local Hudson Valley-based vendors and craft beer brewed directly on site. Tickets go on sale April 26, 2024 at 10:00AM ET and are available via www.woodsistfestival.com. 

News/Announcements by William Ruben Helms

News/Announcements: (Overdue) Shoutouts to Patreon Patrons, Creatives Rebuild New York and Asian Art Initiative Philadelphia

March was such a busy month for me that I somehow forgot my monthly shoutouts to my Patreon patrons, Creatives Rebuild New York and Asian Art Initiative. My bad y’all. I’ll try to not let it happen again. So an overdue shoutout to all of ya’ll is below . . .

2023 was one of more embittering, infuriating and maddening years in recent memory for me. And it doesn’t help that with this line of work, it’s all too easy to battle and endure feelings of loneliness, despair and failure; to feel and believe that you’re an imposter. I’ve personally found it to be a brutal, unforgiving and wildly interesting life and career path that can’t — and will never — compare to most other jobs I’ve ever previously had. And I’ve had quite a few of them in my life! 

The Joy of Violent Movement turns 14 in June. 14 years of doing anything is a very long time. It’s close to a quarter of my life. And for the blogosphere, that’s roughly somewhere between 10-139 lifetimes. Now, it hasn’t always been easy. There have been moments, where it felt impossible to manage this thing and to keep it going. To be frank, as the kids say “the math ain’t matching.” But for the most part, I can say this: I’ve felt and believed with every fiber of my being that I needed to be brave and bold, and go out on my own, because I didn’t believe that I’d really get a fair shot to do this work for anyone else. 

I’ve said this for many years: I’ve long felt strong desire — and need — to create something similar to the wildly eclectic, dynamic and global sort of environment I grew up immersed in as a young Black boy in Corona, Queens. Unsurprisingly, whenever I remember I read my favorite music magazines and sites, I never saw the world I grew up in being covered or represented in any significant or meaningful way. 

From my own experiences working in book publishing and as a music journalist, I’ve learn that as much as you can demand fairness, diversity and inclusion, it’s still ultimately up to the powers in control to see it, hear it, understand it, take it to heart and actually do something about it. So what do you do when those in power don’t get it — or don’t want to get it? Well, then it might be time to grit your teeth and try to do it your own damn self. 

When I started this site back in 2020, I din’t — and just couldn’t have — imagine the majority of the things I’ve experienced, seen and covered throughout its history to have ever happened. 

What will JOVM’s 14th year hold? Generally speaking my hope is always for bigger and better for the site for y’all as readers. Earlier this month, I announced on this site that I was selected to be in the inaugural cohort for Asian Arts Initiative’s (AAI) Sound Type Music Writers Workshop in Philadelphia. So some explanation: Sound Type is AAI’s music festival designed to support and uplift new, courage music from the Asian Diaspora and beyond. The Music Writers Workshop will provide journalists and critics a series of workshops, gatherings and mentorships meant to help held build a sustainable ecosystem of BIPOC musicians and writers of criticism. The writers will attend and write about the concerts and other music programs at the festival — and it’ll be published after AAI’s 2024 season.

I said this to my former boss and very dear friend on Twitter — or whatever the fuck Elon wants to call it these days: “Sometimes, in the throes of things, it’s easy to forget all of our accomplishments. And when you do get a chance to look back on things, it’s astonishing.” But as I think of it now, I should have added: You know, the other thing I realized is that in the rush and busyness of my life, I don’t always have the time or the ability to fully absorb everything. Before writing this post, I was talking with my mother about some of my current and evolving frustrations. At some point, I mentioned the Sound Type Workshop and said that because of its emphasis on BIPOC folks, it’s a real acknowledgment of issues within the field. For that, I feel seen. It’s the rare time that I’ve felt so seen. 

That’s the biggest and most important professional and personal development of my year to date. And admittedly, I feel a mix of things: For the better part of a year or so, I’ve felt like I’ve hit a wall professionally. There’s this sense of annoyance and frustration that this has taken so long. I mean, I have to admit that chronologically speaking, I’m not young. But I also feel a great sense of pride and vindication. I felt seen. And seen in a way that I haven’t truly felt in some time. 

I strayed a bit from the normal messaging. But back to the matter at hand: With your support, I can keep this unique space going. I’ve said this ad infinitum through this site, my social media feeds and to friends and family: All work — especially creative work — is impossible without money. Time is money. Effort is money. And it always costs money for the thing(s) that you need to actually do and exhibit the work. 

There are a handful of folks I need to thank for their continued support: 

  • Sash
  • Alice Northover
  • Bella Fox
  • Jenny MacRostie
  • Janene Otten 

All of those folks have been generous Patreon patrons. Every and any amount really helps keeps this sort of journalism, photojournalism, and criticism alive and ongoing. 

So if you’re able and willing, please feel free to check out the Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/TheJoyofViolentMovement. Whatever you can give is appreciated and will help. Independent journalists and artists are small businesses. And supporting small businesses survive and become sustainable is desperately needed — especially if they’re Black businesses. 

Additionally, I have to thank the helpful, hardworking and dedicated folks at Creatives Rebuild New York. I’m proud, gratified and humbled to have been included in their 18-month Guaranteed Income for Artists program. Understandably, being included was also deeply vindicating. Someone out there thought my work — this very work! — was worth supporting financially. Obviously, the funds from it have managed to keep this labor of love going during one of the most uncertain periods in recent human history, while lessening some of the normal financial pressures of being an American artist, creator and journalist. 

I also found out about the Sound Type Workshop through Creatives Rebuild New York. So, I just can’t thank those folks enough. And I’ll forever be in their debt. 

I must thank the folks at the Asian Arts Initiative in Philadelphia for selecting me for the Sound Type Music Writer Workshop. I’ll be in Philly in a few weeks and I’m looking forward to meeting the AAI team and the rest of the cohort. I’m profoundly lucky to be part of a group of interesting, talented folks from an eclectic array of backgrounds and experiences. 

There are a few ways that you can support this site and my work.You can also support by checking the JOVM shop. I sell prints in various sizes. I also have bumper stickers. Check it out: https://www.joyofviolentmovement.com/shop 

You can also support my following me on the following platforms:

You can hire me for headshots, portraits and events. Seriously, I’m available for that, too. You can click here: https://www.photobooker.com/photographer/ny/new-york/william-h?duration=1?duration=1# or you can contact me directly.

I’m an Eargasm Earplugs Earinflunecer. Buy a pair, protect your hearing and save 10% by clicking on this code: https://lnkd.in/ewX8ezKZ. I do get a percentage of each sale from that discount code. 

Lastly, keep on reading. Without y’all, none of this would be possible.

News/Announcements by William Ruben Helms

If you were frequenting this site over the course of the past few months, you might recall that last month I announced that I was selected as an inaugural member of the Asian Arts Initiative’s Sound Type Music Writers Workshop in Philadelphia. 

Sound Type is Asian Arts Initiative’s Music Festival and Writers Residency designed to support and uplift new, experimental and courageous music from the Asian Diaspora and beyond. The Asian Art Initiative will also provide a series of workshops, gatherings and mentorships to primarily BIPOC musicians, journalists and critics to help build a sustainable ecosystem for them. 

As a member of the workshop. I’ll be attending and writing about the showcases of the Sound Type Musical Festival, as well as other music-related programs at the festival. The commentary, articles, interviews and reviews will be published after the 2024 season. 

The first show of the series will feature Victoria Shen with Qiujiang Levi Lu on March 23, 2024. Shen’s work eschews conventions in harmony and rhythm in favor of extreme and abrasive textures and gestural tones built around analog modular synthesizers, vinyl/resin record and self-built electronics. My understanding is that tickets are still available for the show. So, Philadelphia friends, come on through to check out a night of boundary-pushing music — and hang out with your boy. Maybe we can stop at Bar or Tattooed Mom after.

https://asianartsinitiative.org/programs/victoria-shen-live-in-concert

Before the show, AAI will be hosting two events:

Friday, March 22, 2024: A Conversation with Victoria Shen. Moderated by Joyce Chung, Curator at Asian Arts Initiative, the pair will delve into the creative practice behind Shen’s current exhibition at AAI and how Shen experiments with making instruments and spatial relationship of sound. This event is free but you need to sign up for tickets. Information can be found here: https://asianartsinitiative.org/programs/victoria-shen-artist-talk

Saturday, March 23, 2024: Sound Type Seminar with Victoria Shen and writer and designer Mindy Seu, moderated by AAI’s Anne Ishii. The pair will discuss their boundary-pushing work and its relation to Sound Type’s mission: uplifting new, experimental, courageous music from the Asian diaspora and beyond!

https://asianartsinitiative.org/programs/sound-type-seminar-victoria-shen-and-mindy-seu

Check out the bios and information on me and the rest of the fascinating and extremely talented members of the Music Writers cohort, check out the following link: 

https://asianartsinitiative.org/news/meet-our-writers-2024-sound-type-music-writers-workshop

News/Announcements by William Ruben Helms

With Spring just around the corner, that means Summer Festival announcement season is upon us. So let’s get to it.

Founded back in 2006, Pitchfork Music Festival has proven to be one of the most welcoming, accessible and rewarding festival experiences in the global festival circuit, hosting 60,000 music fans of all ages from across the globe in Chicago, one of my favorite cities in the world. Each year, the festival prides itself on a distinct blend of discovery and tradition through showcasing the best up-and-coming acts, touring stalwarts and legends like.

Through a collection of its varied vendors and an annual specialty record fair, the festival works to support local businesses, while promoting Chicago arts and food communities as a whole.

The 18th edition of the Pitchfork Music Festival returns to Chicago’s Union Park, and will take place Friday, July 19, 2024 through Sunday, July 21, 2024. Yesterday, festival organizers announced the festival’s headliners and its full lineup.

Pitchfork Music Festival’s first day will feature headliner Black Pumas, along with sets from Jai Paul, 100 gecs, Jeff Rosenstock, Yaeji, Sudan Archives, Amen Dunes, billy woods & Kenny Segal, Tkay Maidza, Doss, ML Buch, Rosali, Angry Blackmen, and Black Duck.

The festival’s second day will be headlined by Jamie xx and will feature sets from Carly Rae Jepsen, Jessie Ware, De La Soul, UNWOUND, Bratmobile, Wednesday, Water From Your Eyes, Sweeping Promises, feeble little horse, Hotline TNT, Kara Jackson, L’Rain, and Lifeguard.

The festival’s last day will be headlined by Alanis Moriseette and will feature sets from Brittany Howard, MUNA, the legendary Grandmaster Flash, Les Savy Fav, Crumb, Jessica Pratt, Mannequin Pussy, Hailu Mergia, Model/Actriz, Nala Sinephro, Maxo, Joanna Sternberg, and Kenya.

The full lineup is below:

Full lineup:
 
FRIDAY
Black Pumas
Jai Paul
100 gecs
Jeff Rosenstock
Yaeji
Sudan Archives
Amen Dunes
billy woods & Kenny Segal
Tkay Maidza
Doss
ML Buch
Rosali
Angry Blackmen
Black Duck
 
SATURDAY
Jamie xx
Carly Rae Jepsen
Jessie Ware
De La Soul
UNWOUND
Bratmobile
Wednesday
Water From Your Eyes
Sweeping Promises
feeble little horse
Hotline TNT
Kara Jackson
L’Rain
Lifeguard
 
SUNDAY
Alanis Morissette
Brittany Howard
MUNA
Grandmaster Flash
Les Savy Fav
Crumb
Jessica Pratt
Mannequin Pussy
Hailu Mergia
Model/Actriz
Nala Sinephro
Maxo
Joanna Sternberg
Akenya
 

Tickets are on sale right now, and they include single and three-day passes in three tiers — General Admission, PLUS and VIP:

General Admission tickets are $109 for a single day pass and $219 for a three-day pass.

The Pitchfork PLUS upgrade, which includes a range of exclusive amenities is $199 for a single-day pass and $399 for a three-day pass.

The Pitchfork VIP upgrade, which includes offerings such as side-stage or front of stage viewing at the two main stages, unlimited access to backstage lounges, complimentary beverages, daily catered meals, mobile charing stations, tarot readings, massages, access to reserved parking and more. The Pitchfork VIP upgrade is $379 one a one-day pass and $699 for a three-day pass.

Payment plans are available for all ticket types. More details are available here.

News/Announcements by William Ruben Helms

News/Announcements: Shoutouts to Patreon Patrons, Creatives Rebuild New York and Asian Arts Initiative, Philadelphia

2023 was one of more embittering, infuriating and maddening years in recent memory for me. And it doesn’t help that with this line of work, it’s all too easy to battle and endure feelings of loneliness, despair and failure; to feel and believe that you’re an imposter. I’ve personally found it to be a brutal, unforgiving and wildly interesting life and career path that can’t — and will never — compare to most other jobs I’ve ever previously had. And I’ve had quite a few of them in my life! 

The Joy of Violent Movement turns 14 in June. 14 years of doing anything is a very long time. It’s close to a quarter of my life. And for the blogosphere, that’s roughly somewhere between 10-139 lifetimes. Now, it hasn’t always been easy. There have been moments, where it felt impossible to manage this thing and to keep it going. To be frank, as the kids say “the math ain’t matching.” But for the most part, I can say this: I’ve felt and believed with every fiber of my being that I needed to be brave and bold, and go out on my own, because I didn’t believe that I’d really get a fair shot to do this work for anyone else.

I’ve said this for many years: I’ve long felt strong desire — and need — to create something similar to the wildly eclectic, dynamic and global sort of environment I grew up immersed in as a young Black boy in Corona, Queens. Unsurprisingly, whenever I remember I read my favorite music magazines and sites, I never saw the world I grew up in being covered or represented in any significant or meaningful way.

From my own experiences working in book publishing and as a music journalist, I’ve learn that as much as you can demand fairness, diversity and inclusion, it’s still ultimately up to the powers in control to see it, hear it, understand it, take it to heart and actually do something about it. So what do you do when those in power don’t get it — or don’t want to get it? Well, then it might be time to grit your teeth and try to do it your own damn self.

When I started this site back in 2020, I din’t — and just couldn’t have — imagine the majority of the things I’ve experienced, seen and covered throughout its history to have ever happened.

What will JOVM’s 14th year hold? Generally speaking my hope is always for bigger and better for the site for y’all as readers. Earlier this month, I announced on this site that I was selected to be in the inaugural cohort for Asian Arts Initiative’s (AAI) Sound Type Music Writers Workshop in Philadelphia. So some explanation: Sound Type is AAI’s music festival designed to support and uplift new, courage music from the Asian Diaspora and beyond. The Music Writers Workshop will provide journalists and critics a series of workshops, gatherings and mentorships meant to help held build a sustainable ecosystem of BIPOC musicians and writers of criticism. The writers will attend and write about the concerts and other music programs at the festival — and it’ll be published after AAI’s 2024 season.

I said this to my former boss and very dear friend on Twitter — or whatever the fuck Elon wants to call it these days: “Sometimes, in the throes of things, it’s easy to forget all of our accomplishments. And when you do get a chance to look back on things, it’s astonishing.” But as I think of it now, I should have added: You know, the other thing I realized is that in the rush and busyness of my life, I don’t always have the time or the ability to fully absorb everything. Before writing this post, I was talking with my mother about some of my current and evolving frustrations. At some point, I mentioned the Sound Type Workshop and said that because of its emphasis on BIPOC folks, it’s a real acknowledgment of issues within the field. For that, I feel seen. It’s the rare time that I’ve felt so seen.

That’s the biggest and most important professional and personal development of my year to date. And admittedly, I feel a mix of things: For the better part of a year or so, I’ve felt like I’ve hit a wall professionally. There’s this sense of annoyance and frustration that this has taken so long. I mean, I have to admit that chronologically speaking, I’m not young. But I also feel a great sense of pride and vindication. I felt seen. And seen in a way that I haven’t truly felt in some time.

I strayed a bit from the normal messaging. But back to the matter at hand: With your support, I can keep this unique space going. I’ve said this ad infinitum through this site, my social media feeds and to friends and family: All work — especially creative work — is impossible without money. Time is money. Effort is money. And it always costs money for the thing(s) that you need to actually do and exhibit the work.

There are a handful of folks I need to thank for their continued support:

  • Sash
  • Alice Northover
  • Bella Fox
  • Jenny MacRostie
  • Janene Otten 

All of those folks have been generous Patreon patrons. Every and any amount really helps keeps this sort of journalism, photojournalism, and criticism alive and ongoing. 

So if you’re able and willing, please feel free to check out the Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/TheJoyofViolentMovement. Whatever you can give is appreciated and will help. Independent journalists and artists are small businesses. And supporting small businesses survive and become sustainable is desperately needed — especially if they’re Black businesses. 

Additionally, I have to thank the helpful, hardworking and dedicated folks at Creatives Rebuild New York. I’m proud, gratified and humbled to have been included in their 18-month Guaranteed Income for Artists program. Understandably, being included was also deeply vindicating. Someone out there thought my work — this very work! — was worth supporting financially. Obviously, the funds from it have managed to keep this labor of love going during one of the most uncertain periods in recent human history, while lessening some of the normal financial pressures of being an American artist, creator and journalist. 

I also found out about the Sound Type Workshop through Creatives Rebuild New York. So, I just can’t thank those folks enough. And I’ll forever be in their debt.

I must thank the folks at the Asian Arts Initiative in Philadelphia for selecting me for the Sound Type Music Writer Workshop. I’ll be in Philly in a few weeks and I’m looking forward to meeting the AAI team and the rest of the cohort. I’m profoundly lucky to be part of a group of interesting, talented folks from an eclectic array of backgrounds and experiences.

There are a few ways that you can support this site and my work.You can also support by checking the JOVM shop. I sell prints in various sizes. I also have bumper stickers. Check it out: https://www.joyofviolentmovement.com/shop 

You can also support my following me on the following platforms:

You can hire me for headshots, portraits and events. Seriously, I’m available for that, too. You can click here: https://www.photobooker.com/photographer/ny/new-york/william-h?duration=1?duration=1# or you can contact me directly.

I’m an Eargasm Earplugs Earinflunecer. Buy a pair, protect your hearing and save 10% by clicking on this code: https://lnkd.in/ewX8ezKZ. I do get a percentage of each sale from that discount code.

Lastly, keep on reading. Without y’all, none of this would be possible.