By Lori Innes Santa Monica
On Friday afternoon around 1 p.m. I was sitting on the patio of Trastevere, a wonderful Italian restaurant on the Promenade, with my friends and family, who were in from out of town, and we could not carry on a conversation because the music from the street performer was so loud. My friend went to the police kiosk and asked them to send someone over to get the street performer to turn down the music. Then I went over to the musicians and asked them to please turn the music down myself because no police came.
Finally, Steele from Bayside came to our rescue. He asked them to turn their volume down and then told us that they were a little loud but within the allowable limit. These two guys are out there to express their talent and make some money. If I was playing on the street and no one was donating any money and people were asking me to turn down my volume I might get the hint that something was wrong. The music was not bad, it was distorted and made it very uncomfortable for anyone to listen. Guys, I don’t know the name of your group but you need get rid of the distortion and maybe you will then develop a following and start to make some money. That is the reason that you are playing, isn’t it?
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 20, 2002. Read the original PDF.