only when i show middletown to out-of-towners do i realize how unique it is. there are a lot of positive things, but especially to an outsider they are easily overshadowed by its shortcomings and recent struggles. it’s an old, quaint place full of hard-working people, faded glory and failed city projects. the favorite stories:

in 1975 the city spent millions to build a roof over the entire downtown, blocking off traffic completely and hiding once-magnificent historic buildings and storefronts. as “real” malls (as opposed to covered downtowns) moved into the surrounding area, the name-brand stores began leaving. soon it was essentially vacant, except for a few thrift stores and the occasional sleeping bum. a couple years ago they removed the roof (see a photo of destruction in progress on the back of July For Kings’s SWIM album cover) and eventually completed the restoration process. while you can get the sense of a wonderful place on the verge of rebirth, so far not many stores have returned. just the ghosts.

in the 90’s the city tried to dam up a part of the miami river to create a lake. after spending millions they discovered they couldn’t secure the appropriate permits with the EPA, and the project was abandoned. many townspeople began calling it “lake mistake”. if they weren’t then, they are now. it is a confusing sight. sitting near the pseudo lake-side is AK Steel Pavilion, one of many expensive structures and parks built by the AK Steel company. in september of 2000 we played at the opening ceremony. i’m not sure if anyone has actually used the pavilion since. ? although it’s rather nice and i’ve often thought of renting it out for a big outdoor summer concert. maybe this is the year.

the beautiful castle-like Sorg Mansion (built in 1888) was turned into low-income housing. AC units and towels hanging out the windows. these are a few of the many great mysteries of Middletown.

downtown, AK, Sorg…there is a point to all this and i hope to get there. first i should stop and mention that even as i can’t help but portray these stories in a drab light, they add a unique midwesternish interest and quirkiness that a lot of places don’t have. and of course there are a lot of wonderful things and places and people, like any city. the website.

but nothing in middletown effects more people than AK. AK steel is the deep dark heart of the city. it is a lot like Mordor. orange smoke-stack fires aglow in the night, mysterious ash falling from the sky, clanking of gargantuan foreign machines. everyone has a friend of a relative who has lost an arm or had his face nearly (or actually) blown off inside.

lately the plant is even stranger as the place is surrounded by employees on strike, wielding signs and huddled around barrels of fire. these tattered weathered men are unhappy. they’ve been there in shifts for about a month.

as ominous and unpleasant as the place may seem, it’s really the economic cornerstone of the community. it will be interesting to see how the strike/lockout plays out and what kind of an effect it has on middletown. i honestly don’t understand all the intricacies of the situation. it is a union thing. but i know for sure that 2600 steel workers are increasingly pissed off. most want better wages or benefits; they ALL want their jobs back. a lot of these guys have been toiling for decades, doing their part to make AK a valuable steel company, and keeping the city intact.

to show our support, next Saturday April 8th we are playing a benefit show for the steel workers and their families at the (historic & beautiful!) Sorg Opera House. this will be the first time since my childhood that i play piano for a crowd. the rest of the roster TBA. please come out and support the workers and their families, and the city of Middletown Ohio itself.

thanks
joe