242 Main Documentary Film Update
A film documenting 242 Main has been in the works at Big Heavy World since 2016, when the historic teen center was closed tragically. It was located in a building that the City of Burlington neglected to maintain — Memorial Auditorium became unsafe, and 242 was shuttered with the building until its future could be decided. (See a timeline here.)
Back then, almost 70 full interviews were captured on video and in the time since, hundreds of concert posters, photographs, archival concert video, and more have been collected for the film and to create a public archive. All of this felt necessary to Big Heavy World and Bill Simmon, the filmmaker. The teen center stood for many things: A social commitment to young people; a resource that included youth among those served by politicians and city leaders; a space for creative expression and for young adults to learn how to be a community and contribute to positive change, and more.
Can you name this band? (We could use the help!)
When 242 Main was closed without any reflection by the mayor on these values, or any comment honoring 242’s legacy, the important story of 242 seemed as if it were being buried in an unmarked grave by adults who were simply choosing to be unbothered by how much it meant to generations of Burlington’s youth. That situation was unacceptable, and inspired everything that followed, from this film to advocacy to repair Memorial Auditorium and reinstate a youth-led cultural space at 242 Main.
After a few years of unavoidable distractions that detoured Bill from editing the documentary footage, he worked very kindly with Big Heavy World to facilitate moving the creative part of the project over to Mark Covino at the end of 2021. Mark co-directed ‘A Band Called Death’ with Jeff Howlett. See the ‘Death’ trailer at https://youtu.be/RDPDm9_nX0o
The work of creating the film is split between Mark as the editor/creative force and the volunteers of Big Heavy World who do the production work of creating transcripts, excerpting video, fundraising, promotion, and all the details that give Mark the freedom to create a narrative and make the film. Here’s a status report:
Kathy Lawrence at 242 Main.
Our timeline includes a rough-cut of interview-only footage that will materialize before the end of April; then populating the film with photos, videos, poster art, and animated parallax images that were prepared by the volunteers, followed by titles and motion graphics. If all goes well, we hope that SXSW will accept the film to premier in March of 2023. In the meantime, we’re fundraising for the post-production that includes color correction, audio mastering, and titles/motion graphics (that goal is roughly $10K). Mark has done a ton of transcoding to get the highest quality possible out of all the footage, including the interviews and archival concert film.
In June we’ll also be working with a Fellow through a State Department program who will help us line up relationships that should lead to a calendar of 2023 festival screenings and speaking engagements. The Fellow (Laura) is a community-builder and social impact filmmaker in the Honduras. Through her work we hope to bring 242 Main’s story to an international audience. Look for an official announcement soon.
A number of film festivals have gotten in touch with us, and kept in touch — we feel pretty good about the film capturing interest and being seen next year. An author and writer for national magazines has also become interested in the project. Between the important national story of 242 Main as an institution; how it shows what it looks like when a city values its youth; and the human outcomes of having a resource like 242, the film should find exposure in a number of directions.
Name this band?
The crew is also fundraising to press 200 copies of a soundtrack to vinyl at Burlington Record Plant, with thanks to volunteers including Matt Kimball for pulling the album sequence together, and to everyone who contributed a track. If you know a 242-friendly business that would like to contribute $500 or more for a sponsorship (the pressing will cost about $2,500), we’d welcome an introduction.
Big Heavy World remains a vocal advocate for teen-led cultural space and the repair of Memorial Auditorium, and the reinstatement of youth-led music programming there. If you’re interested in this, see https://bigheavyworld.com/242main
We’ll let everyone know of milestones as we go along! In the meantime, Bill is continuing to support the project with some deep dives into newspaper archives. From that, he shared this timeline, below. It’s a reference for Mark as the film is edited, and we’ll add a lot of it to the advocacy timeline soon.
Mark Covino edits the 242 Main documentary.
1970s
February, 1977 - Styx performs two shows on back-to-back nights at Burlington’s Memorial Auditorium. Following the shows, the police and fire chiefs tell the board of aldermen (city council) that $1,000 in damage was caused and that vandalism and heavy usage of drugs and alcohol were to blame. The board of aldermen discusses whether or not to ban “rock music” from Memorial Auditorium.
June 6, 1977 - Supertramp plays a show at Memorial Auditorium. Following the show (on June 8), citing difficulties in controlling teenaged rock fans, Mayor Gordon Paquette and the city finance committee (with support from the police and fire chiefs) bans all “rock music” from Memorial Auditorium. “I don’t think the building is suited for rock concerts.” – Mayor Paquette
1979 - A Vermont Vanguard Press article by Frank Kaufman about rock concerts in Burlington quotes unnamed sources who claimed that Mayor Paquette was “highly intoxicated” and “out of control” when he was brought by Burlington police to the June 6, 1977 Supertramp show at Memorial Auditorium to witness the scene.
1980s
March 3, 1981 - Bernie Sanders (I) wins the Burlington Mayoral election, defeating incumbent Gordon Paquette (D) by 10 votes.
June, 1981 - Bernie Sanders forms the Mayor’s Youth Council, featuring the Mayor’s Youth Office (MYO) in City Hall, appoints Jane Driscoll (Sanders) as office director.
Fall, 1982 - MYO begins annual “Battle of the Bands” competition for teen bands, Kathy Lawrence organizes it.
October 12, 1983 - MYO puts on a Battle of the Bands at Memorial Auditorium, attended by nearly 1,000 teenagers (there is video of this event).
March, 1984 - The MYO publishes the first edition of The Queen City Special, a youth-run newspaper.
1984 - MYO launches plans to create a teen center.
1985 - Teen center project receives city development funding. A location is secured in the basement of Memorial Auditorium.
March, 1986 - “242 Main” Grand Opening
March, 1988 - MYO advertising for 242 site manager (Kathy Lawrence departs?)
March, 1989 - Peter Clavelle (P) elected Mayor of Burlington
October 4, 1989 - Fugazi plays show at 242.
1990s
June, 1990 - Jane Sanders reappointed director of MYO
July, 1991 - MYO advertising for 242 site manager
August, 1991 - Sarah Owens takes over at MYO
June, 1992 - City council debates folding MYO into Parks & Rec (effort led by councilor Peter Brownell)
March, 1993 - Peter Brownell (R) elected Mayor of Burlington
May, 1993 - 100 teens show up at a city finance hearing to protest MYO being cut, 242 with it.
June, 1993 letter to editor pleading with Mayor Brownell to save 242.
July, 1993 - MYO is cut from the city budget but vocal opposition to closing 242 saves it from the cut. BCA assumes oversight of the teen center. A few other MYO programs go to Parks & Rec, most are cut.
March, 1995 - Peter Clavelle (P) elected Mayor of Burlington (again)
June 3, 1995 - all-day “Crucial Barbecue” 242 fundraiser event (at 242)
November, 1996 Jess Wislowsi (high schooler writing in the Free Press) writes a piece complaining that 242 has too few shows and only hardcore shows and they are over-crowded.
Oct-Dec, 1998 - 242 closes for 2 months. Mayor Clavelle convenes a group to figure out who will run it, etc. (editorial says BCA director Doreen Craft closed 242 after “volunteer staff found it difficult to manage crowds up to 150 teens at weekend concerts”).
December 31, 1998 - 242 re-opens after 2-month hiatus, now under Parks and Rec. - much improved budget
May, 1999 - Parks and Rec advertising for full time youth program director (Simon Brody gets the job, Richard Bailey helps run 242 as well)
2000s
June 10, 2000 - Murphy’s Law show, featuring The Amazing Crowns, River City Rebels, In Reach, Cancer Conspiracy & Dysfunkshun
May, 2001 - Monsterfest, 3-day festival - a big fundraiser for 242 put on by Simon Brody and Parks and Rec (barely broke even, according to Free Press coverage)
August, 2001 - 1st IndieCon at Flynnspace (inc. panel focused on all-ages shows)
2001-2002 - Richard Bailey takes over from Simon Brody (after being co-managers)?
July 6, 2002 - Monsterfest 2 (in the Annex and 242)
July, 2002 - Rock Camp begins at 242 (annual summer youth workshop)
July, 2004 - Jon Fishman teaches at Rock Camp at 242
May 13, 2005 - Higher Ground hosts fundraiser for Rock Camp
March, 2006 - Bob Kiss (P) elected Mayor of Burlington
November, 2006 - IndieCon 2 @ 242
November, 2007 - IndieCon 3 @ 242
October 17, 2008 - Fundraiser at 242 for Daryl Rabidoux’s medical expenses (following car accident and surgery)
August, 2009 - 242 celebrates 25th anniversary with a big show (a couple of years early)
2010s
March, 2012 - Miro Weinberger (D) elected Mayor of Burlington
July, 2012 - Rock Camp turns 10
January 28, 2015 - Dan Bolles writes excellent long piece about 242 in Seven Days
July, 2016 - Bill begins researching possible documentary film about 242 (after a suggestion from Dan Bolles)
October, 2016 - Jim & Bill start shooting interviews
December 2, 2016 - Ameilia Devoid publishes Seven Days blog post critical of the treatment of women and girls at 242
December 3, 2016 - 242 has last big show and closes doors
January, 2017 - 242 tribute show at Higher Ground, featuring Rocketsled, Jesus Nut, From the Ground Up, and Hemlock Verdict
Events from 2016 can be found on Big Heavy World’s 242 Main Advocacy Timeline.