People Post is a space for opinion pieces, letters to the editor and guest submissions from members of the Long Beach community. The following is a thank-you letter from Rand Foster, Ashley Hectus and Justin Hectus, organizers of Summer and Music and the recent Buskerfest in Downtown Long Beach.

When we started Buskerfest 10 years ago one of the things about it that we loved, but didn’t really plan on, is that, because of its technical limitations, the event pushes bands out of their comfort zone. By taking away the amenities of a normal venue setting, our concept forced bands to rethink how they presented their music.

Occasionally, bands focused on solving the “limited” electricity problem, and that led to some interesting science experiments, but when they’ve approached the problem of presenting their music in a less than ideal setting is when it’s gotten exciting and, dare we say it, it’s when things were truly magical. And in turn, it’s also when Buskerfest has felt the most successful.

Well, looking at the fest in larger sense, we’ve been struck by how well this works as a metaphor, not just for Buskerfest or Summer and Music, but for our scene here in Long Beach. It only has the potential to be magical when people (or in some spectacular cases, organizations) step outside their comfort zone.

Most notably for us, and first out of the gate, is the Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DLBA). SAM isn’t always easy to work with; we all have day jobs and our approach is much more in line with “we’ve got nothing to lose, except our ability to do this again.” (Not small, but not “life or death” either.) That Kraig Kojian and the DLBA board have trusted us to deliver an event that reflects well on them (and their support), and arguably has higher stakes for them than for us, is a true testament to their willingness to travel outside their comfort zone.

That the police and fire departments and the Alcoholic Beverage Control and numerous other city departments have been willing to listen to our ideas, and give them consideration, is a gift.

That the residents and businesses of Downtown have embraced us, and trusted us, to be good stewards of their neighborhoods is generous and appreciated.

And finally, and perhaps most importantly, that the music lovers of Long Beach (and beyond) are willing to fight the allure of the couch and screen to come out and be part of our events is the biggest reason we get to do such cool things.

Mike Watt closed the night by saying “Start your own band!” and we would like to expand on that to encourage you to continue to get out of your comfort zone, make music, make a contribution to the scene, or just make plans and be a part of it. These things we have are special and… they’re fragile.

So, on behalf of all of us who enjoy the opportunity to do something that’s truly bigger than ourselves; thank you for being part of Buskerfest, SAM, and the community that makes it all possible.

Here are some of the specific folks we didn’t get to thank at the event:

• Our volunteers, both the vets and the first-timers. There aren’t enough words to express our gratitude.
• The incredibly talented artists and bands who make our events look and sound great.
• The crew at the DLBA, who do so much to make this stuff look easy.
• Our sponsors, thanks for putting it back into the community.
• Our neighbors, thanks for providing a nurturing and safe space. I trust we left things in good shape, and hope we didn’t keep anyone up too late.
• To the businesses who did well and, even more, the ones who didn’t… thanks for seeing the bigger picture. Hopefully the next one swings your way.
• The sound & stage crews, the designers, the food and beverage providers, and the folks who came in early, before and after, to make sure everything looked good.
• The other folks who’ve put it out there to do their own version of community building; whether it’s putting on house concerts, documenting cool stuff, throwing a folk revival, or aiming high with a food and music fest, we love your audacity and applaud your efforts to create something that makes us proud of Long Beach.
• And lastly, but of no less import, those of you who got out of your “comfort zone” to dance, laugh, and live with us.

Thank you, Long Beach, now go make some plans or, you know, start your own band.