With the threat of eviction looming, Providence Occupiers spent the weekend at Occustock, a three-day concert organized by Matt Weisberg '12, Sarah Grimm '12 and Providence resident Jay Wills. Over 20 different artists played at three locations Friday through Sunday in support of the Occupy movement.
Political protests and music go hand in hand, Weisberg said. Protesters try to make the world into what they want it to be, he said, and music allows them to portray that ideal. "Music reaches out to people who are not immediately involved in your cause," Weisberg said.
Last week, a member of Occupy Providence approached the organizers and asked them to arrange a concert for this weekend. Weisberg said they were initially skeptical they would have enough time to find bands and venues. But after receiving a lot of support from the Occupy community, they began to plan in earnest.
The organizers traveled to New York, where they visited Occupy Wall Street to recruit artists to play for them. Weisberg spoke at an Occupy Wall Street General Assembly to ask for volunteers, and they soon had artists from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut willing to donate their time to perform in Providence.
Occustock also received support from the Providence community. Local businesses donated equipment and venues for the concerts, though most asked to remain anonymous. Weisberg said the businesses feared alienating customers who disagreed with the movement's goals.
Despite the community support, the concert almost did not happen Saturday. The owners of the original venue dropped out at the last second, and the owners of the Whiskey Republic had to step in, Weisberg said. The organizers called the bar Friday to ask to use the venue, and the owner agreed to donate the space as well as free coffee and food.
The music over the weekend was as diverse as the Occupy movement's politics and included rap groups, rock bands and reggae artists. Some of the bands came from Occupy Providence, some from Brown and one from a local high school.
But between the celebration of Halloween weekend and Saturday's snow, Occustock struggled to draw a crowd — Friday's concert was nearly empty. Due to a band cancellation and logistical problems, Sunday's concert began three hours later than scheduled.
The concert Sunday benefited the Rhode Island Blood Center. The Occupiers are trying to not just create big political change, but also build and foster community, Weisberg said. He added that there are two agendas within the Occupy movement — the political component is a large part, but the Occupiers also want to force people to reconsider how they view their world and maybe start to "believe in other people again."
The concert comes at a precarious time for Occupy Providence. Commissioner of Public Safety Steven Pare ordered the protesters to leave Burnside Park by 9 p.m. yesterday.
