Come visit us at Sullivan Hall, 7pm on 10/10/10 for an event raising awareness about carbon emissions and the climate crisis– and in support of the Green School in Brooklyn!

More details to come.

Best,
Sam

Thanks to Vile and the CC crew, and to TWIMC and family for the videos!

Photos: Jamsterdam Raises Autism Awareness

Best,
Sam

P.S. Jamsterdam 2 is already being planned… the next event I’m helping plan will feature comedy and is a benefit for Child’s Play! More on that as it develops.

Jamsterdam Photostream

Before I end here, just wanted to let you know Jamsterdam 1.5 is already in the works!

Hope you’ll continue to join us for our charity events. Again, a HUGE thank you to all the bands and volunteers who participated. I have erroneously held fast to the belief that living in a city meant a lack of true community, but you guys ALL proved me wrong.

Peace,
Samantha LoSapio

Pictures will be up soon!

Love,
Samantha

12:00 – 12:30: Christie Lenee
12:40 – 1:10: First Place Losers
1:20 – 1:50: Theo Eastwind
2:00 – 2:30: To Whom It May Concern
2:40 – 3:20: The Bedroom
3:30 – 4:10: Voice of the Population
4:20 – 5:00: Big Pull
5:10 – 5:50: Shadow of Demise
6:00 – 6:40: Water Temples
6:50 – 7:30: Circadian Clock

Dear Jamsterdam participants  and audience members,

Sorry for the last minute changes.  I only just found out myself. There has been significant controversy surrounding my event, and I’d like to set the record straight. The Parks Department was more than cooperative in setting up a stage last minute for us, which they were forced into due to the pressing opposition from the groups opposing the Asser-Levy concerts. Marty Markowitz has been instrumental in ensuring I know my rights regarding this event’s production and has provided me with support and guidance during the snafu my event got entangled in. His concerts have every right to go on– and so should mine.

The ONLY issues I had with the decision to move my event was that it was a near last minute notification, and it IS grossly unfair that three days later the court order will be overturned, making the rest of the season’s concerts legal.

The parks belong to the COMMUNITY, not private citizens or houses of worship. Therefore, this shouldn’t be an issue in the first place. Coney Island is loud. Brooklyn is loud. That’s what comes with the territory of choosing to live in a city setting.

Growing up next to a train station that would wake me up every 20 minutes or so, I became accustomed to living in a noisy environment. When I moved to Sheepshead Bay, a few blocks from Kings Bay, every year during baseball season  their PA system would blare the same handful of songs I didn’t particularly enjoy until well past 11pm. I couldn’t concentrate on my school work or sleep, yet I never so much as batted an eye– because I am full aware of the setting I live in.

At any given moment on any street in NYC, there’s a horn honking, a siren blaring or any number of cacophonous noises emerging from the streets… and most people are immune to it. If there’s going to be noise, wouldn’t you rather it be MUSIC?

Music does not bring any harm to the neighborhood, rather, it is an art form that should be EMBRACED and ENCOURAGED. Our neighborhoods in this end of Brooklyn used to be rich with opportunities for local musicians. The scene has practically disintegrated save events like SirenFest and a scant few restaurants here or there. Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach and Coney Island have almost nothing to offer local musicians. To stamp out local talent and the ability to share it with others, especially for the benefit of a cause like autism, is simply ridiculous. Muzzling ANY art form is a crime, in my opinion, and it’s a shame that in 2010 such opposition is presented to those whose intentions are good and virtuous.

My event has absolutely nothing to do with the plans to create a new amphitheater, which seems to be the driving force behind the opposition. Jamsterdam was slated to end at 8pm, and has now been changed to end at 7:30 to ensure the community’s religious observances are unhindered. I had originally requested a weekend date. July 9th was given to me as one of very few options. There is no logical reason my event should not be able to use the same stage the rest of this summer’s concerts will get to use, but I have accepted that and made arrangements to ensure all my hard work  has not gone to waste. I have jumped through every hoop set before me simply so I could raise awareness about a cause I am deeply connected to, as well as set LOCAL music as a focal point for an outdoor event in a neighborhood I love.

With the majority of my event taking place during the day, it interferes with almost nothing, especially after I readjusted the schedule at the last minute. If you prefer the emotional appeal tactic, how about this:

This concert was expensive and difficult to organize. I spent nearly every night of the last seven months writing countless e-mails and making phone calls trying to gain sponsorships so that  I, an individual that works full time and is nearing the final stages of finishing my Master’s degree, would not have to bear the brunt of the expenses. Unfortunately, in this economy, finding willing and legitimate sponsors is a luxury that not all of us are afforded, and only through the goodheartedness of Sam Ash Music Stores and Pizza Boulevard was I able to get anything to give back to my volunteers and bands. Everything else I paid for, my headlining band paid for, or I borrowed the money to take care of. But, you know what, this was my choice, and my plan, so it is my responsibility. I am not disheartened by the circumstances of this event, because when working on an event such as this with a large organization like the Parks Department, problems are to be expected.

I am, however, disappointed in my fellow community members who have actively tried to squash a charity event simply because we are featuring rock music. We all know there are groups fuming about Mr. Markowitz’s lovely plans for a state of the art amphitheater that would REDUCE sound, but that has nothing to do with my concert. Strangely, this has been brought up a multitude of times. I really do not see the link, but feel free to explain it to me.

I have altered my event at great lengths to ensure the legality of everything I’m doing, only to be smacked with last minute costs that I won’t be reimbursed for. To be continually dragged into a legal battle I have nothing to do with is unnecessary and downright cruel. Why should local musicians suffer or be barred from both expressing themselves creatively while being charitable IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY?

What is despicable is waiting until the last minute to launch complaints and cause a fuss, which has only inundated me with more costs and led to hasty explanations to a group of individuals patiently working with me to make a difference.

Jamsterdam was promoted to friends of the bands and very minimally online. We opted not to do print ads to be more “green” and not attract too great an amount of people, as it is our first event and we only set a goal of $1000 on our Autism Speaks tribute page. Today, I had the various media calling me while I was working. I welcome the free press in hopes of getting the word out about autism and hopefully generating interest in local music, but now what would have been a low-key event has been launched into a small frenzy. For what? To shed more light on an unrelated controversy?

Dragging the innocent through the mud is a foul practice. Leave me out of it, and let me do what I intended to: promote goodness in my community.

Best,
Samantha LoSapio
Organizer, Jamsterdam 2010

Jamsterdam is still on, it’s just … well.. it’s over there now.

See you at noon, Friday!

(And special thanks to Pizza Boulevard, 1623 Oriental Boulevard, for feeding our volunteers!)

12:00 – 12:30: Christie Lenee
12:40 – 1:10: First Place Losers
1:20 – 2:00: Theo Eastwind
2:10 – 2:50: To Whom It May Concern
3:00 – 3:40: The Bedroom
3:50 – 4:30: Voice of the Population
4:40 – 5:20: Big Pull
5:30 –  6:10: Shadow of Demise
6:20 – 7:00: Water Temples
7:20 – 8:00: Circadian Clock

Find a volunteer wearing one of these shirts:

Volunteers will be on staff to
administer first-aid
direct you to bathrooms
direct you to donation forms
show you where to place your garbage
answer any questions you might have, etc!
Hope to see you there!

Best,
Samantha LoSapio
Jamsterdam 2010

Please join me in welcoming Water Temples to the lineup, and thanks to all the bands who have expressed interest but we couldn’t include due to time constraints or other various reasons.

The lineup is still being tweaked, the permits will all be finalized in the coming week, and ultimately, we’re approaching the point where all we have left to do is put the show on.

Don’t forget to come by nice and early. We invite you to bring blankets to sit on, as there will be no seating. Hang out, meet a Green Pirate and pick up some information about Autism. Donate if you’ve got the means… otherwise sit back and enjoy the show.

Hope to see you there!

Warm regards,
Samantha LoSapio
Jamsterdam 2010 Organizer