Downtown Live Music Event Shut Down by Assistant Fire Marshall Based on Anonymous Complaint

 by Diego Lee Rot for the Brownsville Observer

Manhattan Punk Rock Band Leftover Crack

Leftover Crack, a punk rock band from the New York borough of Manhattan was prevented from performing in downtown Brownsville Tuesday night by Assistant Fire Marshal Raymond Harris.  

"I could tell by the man's body language as he charged up the sidewalk that he was intent on shutting us down," observed a patron.  "He was obviously angry and annoyed."

Quickly, seven police cars lined up in front of the art gallery, music venue known as BAM, Brownsville Artists and Musicians, at 1045 E. Washington St. in downtown Brownsville.  

"We're not the one's shutting you down," stated the police commander.  "He's the one shutting you down," he said, pointing to Assistant Fire Marshal Raymond Harris.

Gallery Manager, Assistant Fire Marshal

"An anonymous tip that we were over capacity led to a sweep and inspection that resulted in recommendation to reapply as bar/nightclub. Of course, we will preserve our arts theme. It makes no difference that other galleries have live music at their place because nobody has tattled on them. We feel like the metaphorical freak in the principals office," stated the gallery manager.

When asked if the marshal had actually done a head count, the manager responded:  "He said we had changed layouts from their records and that we weren't supposed to be using the back courtyard or storage area unless we have it inspected and subsequently fixed. The headcount was reasonable but heavy on the bands who were there. Ultimately it's an issue of changed floor plans and that we were playing live music, which meant we were disqualified from old inspections."

The event was stopped at 11:30 PM, four hours into the program and just before the headliner, Leftover Crack, took the stage. The punk rock group on their 2015-16 U.S. Tour had played at Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, Memphis, Houston, Austin before Brownsville with El Paso, Mesa, AZ, San Francisco and Los Angeles dates ahead.

While the patrons walked away to their cars, one angry ticket buyer shouted:  "This wouldn't have happened if they'd been playing Mexican music.  Damn, these bicycle events shut down the whole downtown and no one complains.  Someone doesn't like our music."

We did reach out to the Brownsville Fire Department for an explanation.  Fire Marshal Danny Villarreal will not be in the office until Monday, an operator said. Assistant Fire Marshal Harris was out of office in the morning, then in an afternoon meeting.  When we called later in the afternoon, he'd already gone home.  

Secretary Cindy said:  "I told you he(Harris) would be in a meeting. What did you want to know about?"

When told that I wanted to know why the music event was shut down last night, she said:  "That's what the meeting this afternoon was about."