Personal Story Re: Ordinance's Effects

I am a 27 year old acoustic folk musician who performs both solo and
with a small acoustic band. We are beginning to book ourselves in
larger and larger venues - moving up from little coffee houses - and
of course promotion is a huge part of what we do. We cannot afford to
pay a promoter and so we do all of it ourselves. We have almost zero
income for the band - we barely meet our expenses - and it would not
be possible for us to find $500 for this, nor in all common sense
should we have to.

Promotion is simply a way of letting people know where to hear some
music. And we are simply trying to make a career in music in Chicago.
If this ordinance gets passed we will either become constantly
involved in an illegal act and feel subsequently very unwelcome in
Chicago, or we will simply leave - probably along with a lot of other
young up-and-coming musicians - and move to a city that does not
restrict our careers or require things like registration with the
police or fingerprinting in order to let the public know we will be
singing in a small concert venue.

I would like to speak on behalf of the acoustic folk music community
in Chicago by saying that if this ordinance is passed, it will cripple
our chances of having a career here and of helping to enrich Chicago
with culture.

Sincerely,

Elisabeth Blair

House & Bird - folk noir
www.houseandbird.com