When Jason McLean of the Montreal Infringement Festival Montreal asked me if I’d like to organize an Infringement Brooklyn I jumped on the opportunity.  I was up in Montreal with my band Orange Monsoon doing an Infringement Social fundraiser when the offer came.  My reasons for starting an Infringement Brooklyn were clear.  All one has to do is read the first paragraph and the Infringement mandate to understand why someone like myself would want to be involved.

“The infringement Festival is an interdisciplinary festival open to all critical artists.  Celebrating freedom of expression and designed as a real arts democracy, this festival is a critical response to the oppressive neoliberal worldview and all its billboard trucks, televisions, flyers, advertisements, jingles, made-for-TV Wars; and the depoliticisation of people through this diversionary Spectacle.”

These are words of wisdom and I knew that the artists of Brooklyn could get behind this.  We decided to start off small this year.  The core artists participating in the festival were musicians from the labels Wake UP records and Anvil Entertainment.  We are a tight group of non-commercial Brooklyn Musicians.   We got the crowd  dancing and everyone was having a great time at both venues, Don Pedro and the Jungle.

I plan on the festival growing next year.  I’d love to branch out and include some acting and dance companies in it.

I’d like to educate the audience more on what the Infringement Festival really stands for.  I think the best way to let people know what Infringement is all about is to spread the mandate.  I hope to post it far and wide throughout Brooklyn this year.   Also having literature available at shows and talks would real nice.  It’s going to be a fun year and I hope to get many more people and groups and venues involved.

Groups interested in participating next year should please contact me at brooklyn@infringementfestival.com

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