Rachel Otwell of NPR Illinois is continuing a series featuring different thoughts and reflections of our most recent Black Sheep announcement on the current state of the venue, show attendance, and things we are currently struggling with. The most recent piece is one written by Jenny Sawyer – show go-er in Springfield from 2001 to 2005 about shows and venues during that time. Check out that full piece along with a few photos of that time right here. From the article:

I have mostly fond memories of this time growing up in the scene, but there was always a presence at these shows that unnerved me, and on several occasions even made me question whether or not it was safe to be there. There were a small group of individuals I came to know as the neo-Nazis. They typically sported white shirts, steel-toed boots and shaved heads. They used intimidation and threats of violence to carve out a space for their rhetoric in a scene that would have otherwise felt inclusive.

It was obvious that they made people extremely uncomfortable, but no one seemed willing or able to confront them. I certainly didn’t feel able to, being a shy petite teenage girl. There were a few incidents that I witnessed or had recalled to me by friends. Words were thrown around, kids were chased, bats were wielded. In what I’ve never been able to determine was an accident or not, I was once shoved over a table at the edge of a mosh-pit by one of them. Unfortunately, their presence at shows went mostly unchecked but over time they started to show up less and less.

Rachel Otwell and WUIS / NPR Illinois is continuing a series on The Black Sheep right now after our statement on the current state of the venue last week and Rachel’s reflection piece that soon followed. Yesterday on nprillinois.org they featured a piece written by Black Sheep co-owner B.J. Pearce as his reflection on things and also an in-depth look at bands that B.J. has been involved with and his experience setting up shows at the venue. You can check out that full entry right here. From B.J.’s piece:

Little did I know it was a Metal show. I remember the graffiti, I remember circle (mosh)pits, and I remember that I stood against a wall and was blown away by what I saw. Everything about the show made me yearn for more. I could barely keep up with what band was playing I was so overwhelmed. In the midst of my show viewing, the people I came to Springfield with left. I had to walk down the street to Moto Mart or whatever gas station was there at the time and beg for change to call my parents. My mother came and picked me up at 12:45 A.M. I knew I was grounded but there would be nothing that kept me from going back again.

Stay tuned for more pieces on The Black Sheep coming! Also stay tuned for more info on a roundtable meeting we will be hosting sometime in the early days of September to further discuss the continuation of our venue in this new era.