Modesto Underground

 Since we (my daughter and I) are embarking on curating a portfolio of my work with the music and art scenes in the Central Valley it is the priority to try and gather up as much as we can to help establish an online and potentially an in person exhibition of the photography. With that being important to insure that we document and provide the public access of these historically valuable pieces of our past. This would include the different performances and parties and the different people and their involvement in this community.  Right now we are trying to collect footage on VHS, VHS-C, dvd, and various computer files (mp4, mp3, .wav, .pdf, .jpg etc) and printed materials that can be scanned.   Live shows, recording sessions, interviews, footage from events, flyers, photos, and anything that's live or recorded music , covers, remixes, and old and new tracks that feature local and regional music and artwork.  We also want to create some new swag that features art...

  There's a story of a scene that once burned bright, every night if the week.  There were venues aplenty and bands from near and far, there was never a dull moment to speak of.... Then time started to run away just as so many left for better horizons.  A lot found better jobs, many married, they had children...Some left California for places that they could afford.  There weren't enough left to continue the same ways as before.  So I was left alone, my crew went sober, moved to the Bay. I was now a mother myself, and I chose to stay.  There's still a few things that were strong enough to hold down an audience.  Even newer things started to spring up for, all those originally gone were in the new spots like Porchfest and there were still some amazing new collective like Modesto Artist Movement, which spring from the reopening of the Queen Bean Coffee House. There's a lot to be said for creating safe spaces that support artists and live music. Modesto w...