Mayor James Ruberto was re-elected as the Mayor of the City of Pittsfield on Tuesday November 3rd and let me tell you, I couldn't be happier. While involvement in local politics may seem rather nerdish or uncool (for years, that was my opinion actually), I came to realize that the reason I dragged Shonna along with Jazmine the dog and Roger the rabbit across the country from Los Angeles
was because of the work Mayor Ruberto had been doing in Pittsfield. I would read the Eagle's website almost daily and was excited to learn of the accomplishments as Mayor.
I'm sure the common opinion is that Pittsfield is bunk and places like LA or NYC or Boston are cool. It's like comparing apples to oranges, there is no comparison. Most people don't hold where they grew up in high regard, but after being away for so long, I came to appreciate Pittsfield for a whole set of other reasons. I'm getting too far off the topic (it happens, I'm long-winded) so let me reign myself back in.
I faced a few obstacles as I tried to open up the first variation of what Rebel Sound Records and The Room is today and I was getting fed up with everything. I had too much invested in having it not happen, so I got desperate. I called the Mayor's office to bitch. No one else would listen or they were sick of hearing it.
After a couple of days, the Mayor returned my call and he kind of got and earful from me. I wasn't yelling at him, I was actually frustrated with the situation. The conversation was positive for the most part but nothing was resolved in what I saw as a battle fought and lost. Shonna and I actually marched in the 4th of July Parade that year along with WTBR where Rebel Sound Radio had hit the air earlier in the year and when I noticed the Mayor was in the parade, I made it a point to introduce myself towards the end of the route at Wahconah Park. Mayor Ruberto remembered me and we spoke briefly and then that was that.
Fast forward a couple of years later to 2008. I could see that Pittsfield was still on a progressive course to being a pretty unique place to live that captured some of the glory days that I remember, but also looked toward the future. For years there was this silly slogan that was something like
Pittsfield: It's Happening! It took 20 years, but now I really felt that things were happening! I was determined to open this place come hell or high water and after convincing a landlord that while I am insane, I make a lot of sense. After some hemming and hawing, we came to an agreement and in March 2009 I turned the key on Rebel Sound Records
my way without any help from anyone. In hindsight, that was probably pretty stupid and reckless, but what the hell, this is punk rock right?
I was told by my friend at work that this upcoming election could spell trouble for the creative direction of Pittsfield and I was not happy about this. After realizing what was at stake and after a summer of relatively successful live events, I had to get involved. I credit Cultural Pittsfield for reaching out to a new tenant who has a basic idea of what he's doing as business owner (well, organizational skills are questionable) as one of the key reasons I got involved in helping the Mayor retain his position in city government. The race started to get heated very early on and I felt things were calling for drastic measures.
The youth demographic has been ignored more times that naught in local politics and I said to Tim at work "You know what, I'm going to hold a rally for Ruberto with all of the Pittsfield-based bands who vote and appeal to new and younger voters. I need to do this, there is no way I'm going to sit back and watch this election happen without doing something! I drove back from LA twice to be here, no one is taking this from me without a fight!" From that day forward, I was involved, holding signs at stand-outs, displaying lawn signs, making phone calls to undecided voters and organizing Rock For Ruberto; an event featuring 10 unique acts from across Pittsfield who donated their performances in order add some flair and underground credibility to an election that almost surely would've been ignored otherwise. I'd met the Mayor a couple of times prior to this event, but not after I had started to plan this with Tim so I was pretty surprised when I called and his secretary made time in his schedule to appear and speak at Rock For Ruberto, an extremely non-traditional election season event.
When he arrived he couldn't believe it! Everyone was really excited he was there and when he gave his speech, it was almost as if he was a rock star! It was really cool and you know what? I'm glad he's in office for another two years. I'm glad I can actually go to see a movie in my own city that will hopefully not show movies with Happy Meal tie-ins or numbers after the title. You never know, there may be a couple of those, but I hope not too many.
On Election Night, Shonna and I decided to stop by the ITAM to see if anyone was still there. No one was answering their phone and I had to call Jon Hubbard on the way to Pittsfield and he confirmed the Mayor won by a slim lead. Yes, it was a slim lead but I was really excited and relieved. We pulled in and there will still quite a few people there. Tim yelled to me "Ruberto won!" We went in and found an ecstatic and celebratory packed house. We waited patiently to speak with the Mayor and after more hugs from several people he came right over and thanked me profusely. I couldn't believe! Here I was, some punk rock guy who just bowled 3 rather average games (646 maybe?) being thanked by the Mayor of Pittsfield for all my help with his campaign! I still can't get over it. I know for sure that Rock For Ruberto helped him in the end and he said so himself! He wants to do it again, to thank everyone one of the bands and young voters who supported him! Megan Whilden and Tricia Farley-Bouvier said the Mayor is getting his own leather jacket. Now that's pretty damn cool if you ask me!
I'm excited about the future of Pittsfield not only because I have an investment here, but because I like what I do, no matter how much I complain about things.
See you at the shows (I hope!)
Andy
There will be some reviews here soon along with a recap of all the bands who played in Pittsfield this year at the Room!
