Fair Fight?  County Says No to Rock V Roll

by Kit Benge (First appeared in The Rocket magazine, 3/12/1997)

Port Townsend, on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, is a town that prides itself on being a community on the edge of society. VW buses painted in paisley, plenty of residents that can recite '60s Civil Rights anthems and bumper stickers that proclaim "Port Townsend. We're all here, because we're not all there" are common. However, a local rock band. Circle of Fear, is dividing this tourist village along lines that few in the area knew existed.

The controversy started when the band approached the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, a venue in which it had performed four times before, and asked to reserve a date in the 650 person capacity Oscar Erikson building for its CD release party. Len EndDers, the band's vocalist, was told in no uncertain terms that the 19-member Fair board had voted that no more rock 'n' roll shows were ever going to be held at the county-owned facility again.

Contacted for comment. Bob Bates, operations director of Jefferson County Fairgrounds, explained, "Whenever you get them young kids screamin', jumpin' and hollerin', we always have problems. These kids come from all over the country just to drink and smoke pot, and nobody makes any money."

The Rocket, however, has uncovered receipts which prove that not only was $1300 made the last time Circle of Fear played the Fairgrounds, but after expenses were paid, the band donated the remaining money to the county-run skateboard park.

In response to Mr. Bates' accusations, Enders replies, "In the four years we have done our shows at the Fairgrounds, there has not been one arrest. Not one fight. Not even anyone we had to throw out of the building. I knew almost every single person in the audience; it's not like there were kids coming from all over the country. These were local kids. I doubt very seriously if people in Seattle were going, 'Let's go to a Circle of Fear show and get drunk and smoke pot.' Shit, nobody outside of Jefferson County knows who we are."

Jefferson County commissioner Dan Harpole is in the process of looking into allegations that the Fair board might be arbitrarily denying access to the Fairgrounds for some citizens while opening its doors to others. "I just became aware of the problem," Harpole says, "and haven't had time to investigate it fully, but if they have had a problem with this band that is one thing, but to say no more rock 'n' roll—period—is kind of strange, to say the least."

Port Townsend's mayor, Julie McCulloch, notes that "this is a county issue, however, I do support the board's decision."

While the board was engaged in shutting down Port Townsend's rock community, no one partaking in this decision found it important enough to actually attend the last Circle of Fear show. Three local police officers (one more than the Fairgrounds requested they provide), however, were hired at the band's expense and were present to provide security for the concert.

The band will push for the Fairgrounds and the county to define policy at the Fairgrounds, and in the meantime the band has rented a different hall for its CD release party, to be held April 19th. According to the band, "The Fair board is hereby invited to attend."

(c) 1997 Kit Benge

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