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Petition Urges Atlantic Yards-Area Restaurant to 'Embrace Indie Music'

A petition has surfaced asking the Atlantic Yards-area restaurant and lounge to reconsider its musical choices.

 

Days after angry residents stormed a community board meeting to protest the noise and company a new Manhattan-style restaurant and lounge might bring to the neighborhood, a petition has emerged urging the restaurant to “embrace indie music.”

Prime 6, a multi-story bar, restaurant and lounge under construction in the former Royal Video storefront on Flatbush and Sixth avenues, plans to open in May in anticipation of the new crowds that will flock to the area once the Barclays Center opens for the 2012-2013 basketball season.

At a Monday Community Board 6 meeting, dozens of residents showed up to decry, among other things, plans for an outdoor bar area and 4 a.m food service.

Now an online petition penned by a nearby resident, Jennifer McMillen, urges the restaurant to embrace hosting local “indie” acts, rather than hip-hop.

“What if owner Akiva Ofshtein could be convinced that his business will see far more financial success as a different kind of nightlife establishment,” the petition says. “Instead of focusing on hip-hop and urban entertainment, what if Prime 6 embraced some of the more indie local artists of ALL races who live and perform in the area.”

The petition goes on to imply that featuring hip-hop might result in an elevated crime rate in the neighborhood, and states that the venue would make more money featuring indie acts.

"It's not "racist" to equate hip-hop with an elevated crime rate vis a vi other types of musical genres," the petition says.

It continues: “After all, which one of Prime 6's direct neighbors wouldn't be forever grateful to Ofshtein for seeding a vibrant artistic hub instead of another Yo MTV Raps "bling-bling" VIP club,” the petition says.  

Thanks to MySpace and Facebook pages for the restaurant that boast live music and bottle service, many residents have called into question the types of crowds that Prime 6 might attract. At the community board meeting, several residents raised concerns about the types of live music the venue might feature, as well.

On Wednesday afternoon the petition had already collected 51 signatures, with a stated goal of 5000.

But owner Akiva Ofshtein, a Midwood attorney, said that he had nothing to do with either web page, and that neither accurately reflects the type of live music he would have in Prime 6.

He pointed to the Anyway Café – a funky eatery with locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan – as an example of the type of live music he might feature. 

“They have a singer that sings with an acoustic back up. That’s the idea I have in mind,” said Ofshtein. “I don’t know where the hip-hop thing came from.”

Ofshtein emphasized that he had nothing to do with the either the MySpace or Facebook page for Prime 6. He said that they were designed by a young man hoping to generate buzz for the space in exchange for eventually doing web work for the restaurant, and Ofshtein has since requested that both pages be taken down.

“He certainly generated a lot of buzz,” he said. “But it has nothing to do with the concept I’m going for.”

Ofshtein emphasized that once the space opens, he thinks many neighbors will appreciate the time and energy he’s investing to build a great neighborhood restaurant.

But at Monday’s community board meeting, this seemed to be the largest point of contention.

“When you tell us, the community, that this is a community restaurant you are really and truly insulting our intelligence,” said community board member Pauline Blake at Monday’s meeting.

Baris Ergin

8:41 pm on Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Hello, fascism?

Should we then start a discussion on staff's hair color? Or type of table cloths? wtf..

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A

3:33 pm on Friday, March 18, 2011

Referencing 'Yo Mtv Raps' shows just how out of touch the author of that trash petition is. Hip-Hop in an inextricable part of Brooklyn and NYC in general. Furthermore, many of the best Hip-Hop acts have always been "indie" (be careful what you ask for). In case this closeted racist didn't realize, Hip-Hop involves all races and all sorts of people. There are plenty of majority white clubs that play nothing but Hip-Hop. The neighborhood surrounding the proposed restaurant has been home to people that have supported Hip-Hop for years, far longer than recent out-croppings of "indie" bands and fans. The gentry can't have everything. This is fear of the coming blacker and browner planet. Don't be afraid, just be flexible. Fab 5 Freddy will be happy you shouted out his 20+ year show! Bravo!

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