The Singaporization of New York

Last night the Country Music Association Awards were held in New York. Now why would you wanna do something like that? There must go a lot of careful planning into forcing a whole bunch of people who hate New York to come here, where nobody wants them in the first place. The same kind of planning that went into holding the Republican National Convention in Manhattan. It all fits rather well into Bloomberg's ongoing Singaporization of New York that brought us the Time Warner Mall, Christo's merchandising bonanza The Gates, plus a law and order policy that seems to be steeped in Chinese traditions rather than Western society. Make no mistake, he goes way beyond Giuliani. I never had so many friends my age spending a night in jail for some minor offense that used to get you a scolding when you were a kid. And I’m way past the age where you are prone to run into trouble with the law.

Now I do enjoy Country music (somehow Country has always been a big thing in Germany, Johnny Cash even recorded a German album with local twanger Gunter Gabriel). New Year’s eve 2003 we danced to the Jimmy Nations Combo at Lillie’s in Red Hook until about five in the morning. Brooklyn of all places is actually the one part of New York City where you can hear some of the most outstanding Country Music. Hank’s Saloon on Atlantic Avenue is a great Honkytonk and those aren’t out-of-towners playin’ there. The website Brooklyn Country lists over 40 local performers and groups like the Gowanus Corral and the Cobble Hillbillies.

But the CMAs sure weren’t about down home bohemian Americana. The show was hosted by patriot faves Brooks & Dunn, some of the award winning artists and honorees were ultra-redstaters like Toby Keith, Alabama and the hosts themselves. Ain’t no room for the Steve Earles and Willie Nelsons on this roster, no Siree. Don’t they have the rest of the country to hang out in? Well, at least they made the premiere of „Walk The Line“ part of the festivities, which I’m rather curious to see, because Johnny Cash had been an icon of mine long before Rick Rubin stripped him down to his bare voice and guitar.