UPCOMING SHOWS Mike Brooks Drummer Joe Schillage is to play in Deep Ellum because of crime Deep Trouble from p17 stopped first. The fights I saw after hours were ridiculous, dangerous.” Another easy target for criminal activity 214-350-1904 11AM TO CLOSE WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY 10261 Technology Blvd E, Dallas, TX CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFO! www.amplified-live.com @AMPLIVETX @AMPLIVETX @AMPLIFIEDLIVETX are musicians who have to load and unload their instruments and equipment. The DEF has installed special band loading zones with clear signage that run from 2 p.m.-12 a.m. every day. “Playing on the weekends and loading gear is a nightmare,” says Xander, a pianist, singer, producer and composer who per- forms with several groups including The Polyphonic Spree. “Backing out of spots, drunk folks swarming the streets and step- ping out in traffic. It’s intense, and it feels like I have to get in and get out.” Beggs says he can see the plans being im- plemented but he’s not convinced they’ll cut crime. Street closures, he says, are “not good for business” because they cut off access to es- tablishments. “They definitely don’t help especially in a place where we’re already having issues try- ing to find parking, and it’s hard enough get- ting into the neighborhood,” Beggs says. “I feel like the city is maybe doing what they can to show they’re doing something, but I’m not sure that it’s having much of an ef- fect at this point. I don’t know.” These crime trends aren’t a new develop- ment for Deep Ellum and have been almost built into its culture since the district’s blues heyday a century ago. In the late 1920s, bluesmen wailed about Deep Ellum’s broth- els, gambling and drugs. As the 1980s came to an end, the sounds of the late-night punk scene were drowned by a wave of violent Skinheads who terrorized the area. In the last decade, as Dallas’ population 18 skyrocketed and the neighborhood made a comeback, so did its share of crime, which can seem as particular to Deep Ellum as its unique character, and certainly dispropor- tionate to its size: There was the string of muggings in 2019 in which victims were drugged after taking a hit of what they be- lieved to be a joint, and the three weekends in August 2020 during the height of the pan- demic when Deep Ellum had four shootings, one that killed a 15-year-old boy. Jah Born says he recognizes that crime “... THIS IS WHERE EVERYONE WANTS TO BE, AND THERE’S TOO MANY PEOPLE IN TOO SMALL OF AN AREA.” - VENUE OWNER SCOTT BEGGS reports have ebbed and flowed throughout the neighborhood’s history and the solu- tions need to involve every- one who’s part of Deep Ellum. “It’s going to take the minds of not only police but also the community there in Deep Ellum,” he says. “Bar owners and musicians get a chance to see people walking up and down the street every day. They know what’s up out there: a community that’s friendly, meaning people of all walks of life, races, nationalities and lifestyles have to come together. The community folks can make the difference, and the businesses that are coming in, these new businesses and in- flux of money that’s coming into Deep Ellum should be dedicated ... to create a safer envi- ronment for the people who love to go down there for the music, nightlife and food.” Beggs says the city and its leaders could help by focusing resources more on the streets and less on venues over issues such as noise levels and crowd capacity at venues. “These aren’t problems that are occur- ring inside the building because of how loud it is or how many people are in there,” Beggs says. “... I would say the bars aren’t the prob- lem. There are a lot of things going on in this city. There’s no other entertainment district in town right now to take the pressure off of Deep Ellum because this is where everyone wants to be, and there’s too many people in too small of an area.” Musicians like Schillage still want to per- form in Deep Ellum and even watch concerts just like any other music fan. He says it’s worth making the effort to make Deep Ellum feel safe because “it’s just a cool fucking place.” “I will still suck it up and go,” Xander says. “I just gotta make sure I’m in my run- ning shoes.” JUNE 16-22, 2022 DALLAS OBSERVER CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | CULTURE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS dallasobserver.com
