universityofthestreets1

University of the Streets issued a "statement of events" (event = musician punched)

University of the Streets

Back on 9/9 we posted about an incident at NYC jazz venue University of the Streets where Kevin Shea of Talibam! ended up with a pretty nasty injury to his face after an altercation with the venue’s staff. About a week later the venue did in fact respond…. all in caps and with some fun lines like this: “THE ATTENDANT RAISED HIS HAND TO PROTECT THE DIRECTOR AND IN THE MELEE THE BAND-MEMBER’S FACE CONNECTED WITH THE ATTENDEES HAND.” Read the whole thing below…


STATEMENT OF THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 7, 2011
by Saadia Salahuddeen on Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 10:02pm

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
TRUE ADVOCATES OF U.O.T.S. DESERVE AN ANSWER TO THE UNCONSCIONABLE DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER, AS WELL AS A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF THE COMPLETE FACTS AS THEY RELATE TO THE OCCURRENCES OF SEPTEMBER 7TH. THIS STATEMENT IS BEING MADE TO CLARIFY ANY MISCONCEPTIONS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS THAT HAVE ARISEN OUT OF THE EVENTS, WHEN “TALIBAM” , THE BAND LEAD BY MATT MOTTELL AND KEVIN SHEA PRESENTED AT THEIR APPOINTED TIME TO PLAY AS PART OF OUR CURATED SERIES.
IT WAS NOTED BY THE EVENT ATTENDANT & UNIVERSITY OF THE STREETS (U.O.T.S.) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAADIA SALAHUDDEEN THAT THE BAND HAD NO AUDIENCE MEMBERS ATTENDING THEIR CONCERT. AS IT IS CLEARLY STATED IN THE HOUSE RULES (BAND’S AGREEMENT) ALL BANDS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR AS PART OF THE CURATED SERIES GUARANTEE UNIVERSITY OF THE STREETS A MINIMUM OF FIFTY DOLLARS AND ARE ASKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH PROMOTIONAL EFFORTS MADE BY U.O.T.S., TO MAKE SINCERE EFFORT TO PROMOTE THEIR OWN CONCERTS FOR DUE TO COST CONSIDERATION U.O.T.S MUST MAKE SURE TO SECURE FIFTY DOLLARS TO COVER THE ONGOING EXPENSES OF PRESENTING BANDS TO COVER THE COSTS OF HEATING, A/C. ELECTRIC, PROMOTION AND THE ASSOCIATIVE COSTS OF PRESENTING CONCERTS.. AS IT WAS NOTED AT THIS SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE THE ATTENDANT (ONCE THE FACT THAT NO AUDIENCE WAS ATTENDING WAS ESTABLISHED), THE BAND WAS OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPT OUT AND OWE U.O.T.S. NOTHING. THE BAND DECLINED THE OFFER, WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY WERE EXPECTED TO REMIT FIFTY DOLLARS TO U.O.T.S. AT THE END OF THE EVENING.
“TALIBAM’S” SET CONTINUED FOR THE ALLOTTED TIME PROVIDED FOR THE PERFORMANCE AND AT THE END THE ATTENDANT REQUESTED THAT THE BAND TENDER THE $50. TO COVER COSTS. U.O.T.S IS A COMMUNITY NOT-FOR-PROFIT AND AS SUCH HAS GUIDELINES BY WHICH IT WORKS WITH CURATORS, BANDS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS (VIA COMPS); GUIDELINES WHICH PROVIDE ALL MEMBERS, PERFORMERS AND THEIR ADVOCATES IN ADVANCE WITH AGREEMENTS AND CODES OF CONDUCT; GUIDELINES THAT PROVIDE AND REQUEST THAT BOTH THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS ADVOCATES TREAT ONE ANOTHER IN A COURTEOUS, SAFE AND CONSIDERATE MANNER. UNFORTUNATELY, ON THIS OCCASION, THE BAND BEING HOSTED DID NOT UPHOLD THESE STANDARDS.
UPON BEING REQUESTED TO TENDER THE CHARGES COVERING U.O.T.S. EXPENSES BAND-MEMBERS (INCLUSIVE OF MR. SHEA) FLIPPANTLY OFFERED IN A DISRESPECTFUL MANNER TO TENDER $10. AND WHEN ASKED TO ADHERE TO THEIR PRE-ARRANGED AGREEMENT BECAME INCREASINGLY BELLIGERENT AND DISRESPECTFUL TOWARDS BOTH THE U.O.T.S. PERFORMANCE ATTENDEE – AS WELL AS THE ORGANIZATIONS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. AFTER REFUSING TO PAY THE PRE-ARRANGED FEE BAND-MEMBERS BEGAN JUMPING ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE SPACE, HAPHAZARDLY TURNING UP P.A. AND AMPLIFYING EQUIPMENT TO EXCESSIVE LEVELS WHILE INCREASINGLY CHALLENGING AND DISRESPECTING THE ORGANIZATIONS STAFF. NOTING THAT THE ATMOSPHERE OF COOPERATION WAS DISINTEGRATING QUICKLY MS. SALAHUDDEEN REQUESTED THAT THE SPOKESMAN MR. SHEA LOWER HIS VOICE AND CEASE TALKING CRAZY – TO WHICH MR. SHEA RESPONDED THREATENINGLY – “YOU THINK WE’RE ACTING CRAZY – I AM CRAZY”, “LET’S GET CRAZY” – I’LL SHOW YOU CRAZY” INCREASINGLY TAUNTING THE PERFORMANCE ATTENDANT WITH INSULTING REMARKS ABOUT HOW HE LOOKED & HIS APPEARANCE. THIS HAPPENED IN SUCH A DISCRIMINATORY AND COMBATIVE MANNER THAT THE SITUATION CONTINUED TO UNRAVEL SO MUCH SO THAT THE OCCURRENCE CULMINATED IN MR. SHEA’S LEAPING ACROSS THE PERFORMANCE SPACE IN A WAY THAT COULD NOT BE INTERPRETED IN ANY OTHER WAY THAN AS ONE WHICH WOULD RESULT IN BODILY HARM. MR. SHEA INVADED THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS PERSONAL SPACE IN A CLEARLY ILLEGAL AND ASSAULTING MANNER (WHILE GESTICULATING AND PHYSICALLY SUGGESTING HARM) WHILE SCREAMING “GO F… YOURSELF”. NATURALLY, IN OBSERVING THIS OBSESSIVE AND COMBATIVE BEHAVIOR THE CONCERT ATTENDANT, WISHING TO CEASE FURTHER THREATENING BEHAVIOR, AND NOTING THE INFERRED BODILY HARM ABOUT TO OCCUR, THE ATTENDANT RAISED HIS HAND TO PROTECT THE DIRECTOR AND IN THE MELEE THE BAND-MEMBER’S FACE CONNECTED WITH THE ATTENDEES HAND. UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE MR. SHEA WAS WEARING NON-SAFETY TYPE SUNGLASSES, A SMALL INJURY OCCURRED WHEREIN MR. SHEA, ACCOMPANIED BY THE OTHER BAND-MEMBERS CALLED 911 AND ESCALATED THEIR ATTACK AND PUGILISTIC BEHAVIOR FURTHER INSULTING IN A DISCRIMINATORY AND DEGRADING MANNER, THE ATTENDEE. – WHOSE ONLY WISH WAS TO PROTECT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (MS. SALAHUDDEEN WHO IS A GENTLE, WELL-RESPECTED COMMUNITY LEADER AND INTELLIGENT WOMAN) FROM FURTHER ABUSE AND HARM
U.O.T.S. IS PROVIDING THIS ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF THE EVENTS OF THE NIGHT AND PERFORMANCE OF “TALIBAM” ON SEPTEMBER 7TH, AS A FAIR, ACCURATE AND CLEAR RECOUNTING OF THE EVENT AS IT OCCURRED. NEITHER U.O.T.S. NOR ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SUPPORT, ENCOURAGE OR ADVOCATE FOR VIOLENCE OR DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIORS OF ANY SHAPE OR FORM. U.O.T.S., IT’S EXECUTIVES, BOARD-MEMBERS, MEMBERSHIP AND CONSTITUENCY FOR OVER 42 YEARS HAVE PROVIDED A SAFE EDUCATIONAL, PERFORMANCE AND ARTS-POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT TO THE COMMUNITY WHICH IT SERVES AND AS SUCH WISHES TO CONTINUE TO SERVE. U.O.T.S. IS A WELL-RESPECTED AND CONSCIENTIOUS ORGANIZATION AND BESIDES NOT SUPPORTING VIOLENCE OF ANY KIND RATHER TO THE CONTRARY, WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE MUCH NEEDED SERVICES AND CONSIDERATIONS BOTH THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES AND THE ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, STUDENTS AND THEIR ADVOCATES REQUIRE IN THE NON-VIOLENT, CONSIDERATE AND ENCOURAGING MANNER FOR WHICH IT IS KNOWN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
UNIVERSITY OF THE STREETS, INC.

As you can see by the Facebook comments on the above statement, people aren’t buying it.