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“Music is life itself.”
Louis Armstrong, jazz trumpeter (1901-1971).
Victory Girls Blog was alerted to a “Day” that we can really get behind. “International Play Music on the Porch Day” will be observed on Saturday 26 this year. according to an article in The Federalist”:
Are you tired of the continuing daily onslaught of depressing news headlines and political posturing? Looking for a way to mark the end of summer and find a renewed focus for the fall? Interested in doing something positive for yourself, your family, and your neighborhood?
Look no further. A grassroots effort called “Play Music on the Porch Day” will mark its ninth year on Aug. 26. Started in 2014 by Los Angeles-based artist Brian Mallman, the Play Music on the Porch Day campaign asks the question, “What if for one day everything stopped … and we all just listened to the music?”
Can you imagine it? People around the world sitting on a stoop, porch or lanai, playing a guitar, sitar or zither. Neighbors walk by and stop to listen or hurriedly grab their own tambourine or maracas to join in. It could change the world by changing the neighborhood. Right up until someone kvetches to the Homeowner’s Association. I kid, I kid. Even the Homeowner’s Association Clique of Karen’s will back off unless you play at ear-splitting levels. Or maybe get a group together. A driveway is just as good as a porch.
Liberty Band kids playing for Worldwide Play Music on the Porch Day. #lmslions #playmusicontheporchday #MCSlearn pic.twitter.com/jR80DsqWy8
— Gwen Rakoff (@GwenRakoff) August 27, 2022
No big setup, no decorating, no gift giving or two-day Turkey preparation. Just simple music on the stoop. I have heard that people used to do this every night. In the days before television or streaming, people had to make their own entertainment. No speakers, no amplification at all. Rocking chairs would be nice, but not required. From the article:
There was a time when getting together to play music was not an unusual act, one in need of a special day to highlight it, but something routine that people did for their own entertainment and edification. Instead of going somewhere to watch other people play music or listening to recorded music on the platform or device of their own choosing, people made their own music, often as part of a social gathering. It wasn’t hard to do because music literacy was the rule rather than the exception and people shared a common cultural songbook, unlike now when everyone has his own personal playlist that may or may not have any of the same songs as the next person’s playlist.
For this event, the important part is the music. Any kind. “Music is life itself”. Why did Mr. Mallman start “Play Music on the Porch Day”? From the article:
I’m an artist. This is an art piece. I believe that collaboration builds strong connections, and I had been working on creating a global collaborative art piece for several years.
I’m also a father. I see a world where hate and division are used as political tools. My kids need to understand that respect, kindness, and curiosity about others is the only way forward. This project is built on that. Music by nature draws people together. It has the power to transcend borders, cultures, races, religions, social statuses, and lifestyles. For me, a “porch” is a metaphor for a gathering place — a safe place where differences can be set aside, and people can enjoy music communally. Music has the power to create deep connections and lasting memories among participants, and it’s just fun. This project aims to make that happen on a global scale.
And, it’s fun too. It enriches your soul. It can help sooth depression. It can alleviate loneliness. As a matter of fact, we think that playing music on the porch or even a deck is a much healthier solution for loneliness than Hillary Clinton has. Deanna read an op-ed that Hillary did on the “Weaponization of Loneliness” so you wouldn’t have to. Read it here. Do we really need the Hildebeast lecturing us on loneliness and isolation? Fie. Since the 1990’s Hillary has been the divider.
Music is the uniter.
Instruments are nice, but not required. Ever been to an Irish wedding? Ever sang about the “Rattlin Bog”? Here’s a fun song that required no instruments.
Finally, you don’t have to make it a thing, but if you want to can register your event:
Participation is simple: On the last Saturday in August (this year it’s Aug. 26), go outside (anywhere — it doesn’t have to be a porch) and play music or sing, alone or with a group. Then if you’re so moved, share a video on social media with the hashtag #playmusicontheporchday. You’re also invited to register your participation on the Play Music on the Porch Day map. At last count, the 2023 observance has 1,200 participating locations in 80 countries.
I say to just have fun. Music and fellowship. Be simple. Be happy. And, remember that music is life itself.
Featured Image: Karin Dalziel/flickr.com/cropped/Creative Commons
How can you write all of this stuff about my project, and then add a horrendous paragraph about Hillary Clinton being the “great divider”. Please never write about my project again. Please don’t participate in it, and please don’t drag it into your petty, shortsighted political crap. This project welcomes immigrants, this project welcomes gay people, this project is not a part of your agenda.
Kate says: Thank you Brian for visiting our blog. Please know that when I heard about your project of “Play Music on the Porch”, I was thrilled. It’s such a neat idea!
That said, I also want you to know that you don’t get to tell us how to think, or what to say, or how to feel.
We hope “Play Music on the Porch” is hugely successful again, and becomes forever a great annual event everywhere. It’s brilliant!
Toni Williams says: That’s so not inclusive of you. We welcome all, also. You sound like a fascist, presumptuous, virtue-signaling, little twat. Did I make a grown man cry? I’m so proud.
Darleen Click says: Wow, Brian … what a bunch of words to say you have no clue to our “agenda” without saying you have no clue to our agenda.
Sit down and learn, dude, and stop adding to the divide.
Kate, Thank you for posting my response. I live in Los Angeles, I am an artist and I actively support Human Rights. I oppose the fear of “others” that has currently captured the hearts of the U.S. conservative community, so I was surprised to see a project built on inclusivity featured on the blog. This fear has been used to make conservatives support leaders who actively work against Liberalism. A Liberalism that has kept the world relatively peaceful since the end of WW2 (I noticed you use a piece of WW2 nose art as your logo). A Liberalism that has been at the core of the Republican Party until recently. My Support of Human Rights requires me to see my shared humanity. It requires me to recognize myself in the faces of immigrants, in the faces of Trans people, and the faces of those who are marginalized by the boundaries society creates (I believe Christians call this “Loving your neighbor as yourself”). Many of these boundaries were built with fear, to build wealth for a few, on the backs of women, minorities, and indigenous communities worldwide. We must recognize that by fearing “others”, we are handing our power and wealth to a small number of people at the expense of the many. While many of us, myself included, enjoy prosperity these boundaries claim to provide, this prosperity is table scraps compared to to the prosperity created when everyone is welcome to build and participate in growing it. I know many of the folks in the Conservative movement identify as Christian, so I don’t believe what I’m saying is far off from what Christians believe (“Love your neighbor as yourself”and “Do unto other as you would have done unto you”. Both of these statements require us to actively reach out with humanity and humility). In the U.S. we are trapped in a two-party system. We are stuck either being told to hate each other, or devolve into a single party. I love everything you wrote about Play Music on the Porch Day until the final paragraphs when it devolved into the same partisanship found all over the internet. I am frustrated and disappointed that you chose to reframe PMOTPD inside of a political debate. I would ask that you either remove that section, or remove the whole piece. That paragraph diminishes the of the heart project, and actively counters everything else in the piece. If you don’t remove it, please leave my comments so that nobody believes I am associated with this blog or the beliefs it espouses. I’m assuming that many of the responses that follow mine will be like the one made by Toni Williams. Responses and like hers perfectly embody everything I want Play Music on the Porch Day to rise above. Thanks again.
Kate says: Thank you Brian for your thoughtful comments expressed here. Though I disagree with some of it, I respect your opinion. I am not the writer of the blog post, however. Toni is, and it’s her opinion piece. I’m sure she’s following the comments on this post, but whether or not she’s likely to change her opinion and her post, is up to her.
Again, best of luck on this event!
Wow! Toni wrote that! Ha! She also called me a fascist and a twat! I guess I assumed you wrote it since your response was thoughtful and sophisticated. Thank you for support. This project has challenged many of my preconceptions about people and the world we share. I’m not perfect, but this project gives me hope that humanity is better than it seems right now, and better than us as individuals. I’m obviously far from perfect, but PMOTPD is better at celebrating the beauty of our shared humanity than I am. When my kids were born I became deeply concerned about all the hate in the world. As an artist I sometimes live in my own head and don’t notice how much anger is out there. I hope my project does a better job than I do at creating a more loving and accepting world. Let’s focus on what we have in common and hopefully lower the stakes on our differences.
Kate says: As I said, I think the event is brilliant. Really. And though we disagree politically, we can very much agree, and we’ll even cheer you on, over PMOTPD. Thanks for the good discussion, Brian. I hope you’ll visit again.
Toni, I am not afraid to cry. No man should be so damaged that they see crying is seen as weak. Crying is a human response to sadness, men who claim not to cry are either doing it while alone and, or they are masking it with acceptable male emotions like anger and aggression. Unfortunately, I, Like other men, have been raised to view crying a feminine trait and therefore a weakness. Overcoming seeing healthy emotions as “feminine” and therefore something to be suppressed, is something that I am working on. I wish I was more capable of crying. Especially when I see schools being shot up, or immigrants being left to die at sea or in deserts, or violence and hate being directed at my friends who are gay or trans, or the planet being polluted and pillaged for profit. It is unnatural if those things don’t bring any human being to tears.
I also noticed you also called me a “Twat”. A “Twat” is a vulgar slang used to describe women’s genitals. I don’t see your pronouns, but I’m assuming you are a woman and most likely have a “Twat” (your word). I find it ironic that someone possessing a “Twat” (your word), would openly use female genitalia as an insult. It implies that calling any man a “Twat” (your word) is deeply insulting, (much like saying a man crying should be an insult). I was in the room when my children were born. I saw that a “Twat”, (your word), is responsible for bringing my amazing kids into the world. My mother had a “Twat”(your word) and she had the incredible challenge of raising me! (I can’t even imagine!). My amazing wife has a “Twat”, (your word) and she works full-time, manages are home (admittedly I should do more), raises our kids (I mainly provide fart jokes and bad puns), and tolerates me! (Again I can’t even imagine). I hope someday you stop believing that the worst insult you can give a man is to imply he is feminine. I would bet you have overcome many things in your life (some of them most likely caused by men). I would bet that you are incredibly strong. Maybe you have given birth, or raised children. Our society benefits from marginalizing that as “Women’s Work”. Our society marginalizes women’s voices by diminishing your voices as feminine. I believe there would be less war, better healthcare, better education, and more respect for human rights if there were more “Twats” (Your word) in the room where decisions are made.
You also called me a Fascist in a way that twists Liberal ideologies on themselves in order to justify Fascism. This is a familiar tactic that has been used BY Fascist to defend Fascists since the beginning of Fascism. Basically it’s the argument that working against Fascism is inherently Fascist. It is generally only accepted by someone who is working against the people who work against Fascism …but don’t want to accept the reality of what that implies. I hope that you are not a Fascist, but I have seen many on the right celebrating the Illiberal philosophies of people like Viktor Orbán. I have seen many on the right overlook the open misogyny of people like Gavin McInnes. Balancing free speech while opposing hate speech does present challenges, but I have faith that reasonable people in a Democracy can figure it out without bowing to authoritarianism from either side.
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