Concessions

Originally, I had planned to write this column about Mamma Mia!:
The Sing-Along Edition, which, I’m sure, is happening somewhere
sometime in your area in the near future. It involves the movie
Mamma Mia! (which delighted me, honestly), and YOUR very own
vocal cords, and, inevitably, the words “Money, money, money/Always
sunny/In the rich man’s world/Aha-ahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!” belted
out by someone’s high-school guidance counselor in the row behind you.
But then, I thought, haven’t I written about Mamma Mia! enough
already? Haven’t you had your fill of Meryl Streep’s overall
crotch and Colin Firth’s horrific pubescent screech? You don’t want
that, do you?

Say you don’t.

Because when the moment arrived for me to actually GO to Mamma
Mia!: The Sing-Along Edition, and I started thinking about the kind
of people who want to see Mamma Mia! AGAIN (there’s no way the
sing-along is their first viewing) except this time in karaoke format
with mandatory audience participation, I realized
that—oooops, I was really busy that night doing literally
anything else that I could possibly find to do.

Instead, the following night, I went to the Film, Music, and Digital
Media Happy Hour—a new monthly event put together by the
Mayor’s Office of Film + Music. It was a charming little to-do: $4
well drinks (strong) and $3 PBR, genuine sunshine blazing in through
the front windows. Everyone wore name tags, color-coded depending on
which industry they belonged to—blue for film, red for music, and
gold for tech. People sidled around—some relaxed, some
careful—peeking at each other’s names (are you important? Do I
have anything to offer you? Can I have some money?), handing out
cards, shaking hands.

Two friendly electronic musicians seemed disappointed
that—despite my blue name tag—I am not a filmmaker
looking for a soundtrack. A local screenwriter respectfully begged
me (a self-professed hater of his genre) not to review his
movie. Ever. Please. Someone else spoke of the fussiness of the
French.

The idea—according to, you know, the
government—is this: “Seattle has been a growing hub for film,
music, and digital media over the past several years, and it is vital
for these three communities to interact for our city to continue to
thrive. This happy hour offers just such an environment for people from
these industries to socialize, network, and build a unified community.”
It’s sweet—and I don’t mean this in a condescending
way—that Seattle is small enough for people from all corners of
the industry to meet and chat in such an intimate space. If you hosted
this thing in Los Angeles, for example, you’d have to rent out
Staples Center. And that would be expensive. Money, money,
money!

The happy hour takes place the last Wednesday of every month from
5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Sole Repair at 1001 East Pike Street.

lindy@thestranger.com