Classical Music as Crime Repellent? (30. July 2007, 08:56 by Erik) ~ Bach to the Future?
Here’s a note from the Tribune today:
By playing classical music, Pierce Transit and the TPD hope to create an unpleasant environment for criminals and gangster-wannabes, she said.
It’s an intriguing hypothesis and its first field test will be interesting. While initially being installed at the Tacoma Mall Transit Center, it’s not a bad idea to pump a little life into downtown either. Rachmaninoff and Vivaldi playing on loudspeakers? I’m all for it.
Of course, if the idea is successful, they might overplay their hand and start playing music that annoys everyone. The Captain and Tennille are great and all, but hearing Muskrat Love over and over while waiting for the bus will drive anyone crazy.
Link to The News Tribune
Commenting Is Closed
Comments are allowed for two weeks from the posted date. If you want to make a comment or reopen this discussion, please contact us with your request. Thank you for visiting.
I wonder what kind of music keeps billboards away?
Sign Sign everywhere a sign / Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind / Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?
1 | Posted by Erik Hanberg | Jul 30, 09:10 AM
Olympia’s downtown transit center plays classical music. Seems to do the job there…any time I’ve been there, including at night, the place has been virtually empty.
2 | Posted by jamie from thriceallamerican | Jul 30, 09:13 AM
Sweet. I love classical. I hope they play some Bach organ fugues
3 | Posted by snoopy | Jul 30, 09:39 AM
old skool will smith would be just as effective. “Man , Parents Just Dont Understand”
4 | Posted by RR Anderson | Jul 30, 09:44 AM
Wow, RR, flash back!
Sounds like a great plan to me. That is, if it doesn’t bring back a wave of boombox carrying folks that drown it out with their own tunes.
5 | Posted by KevinFreitas | Jul 30, 10:12 AM
I’m pretty sure this is a smart idea.
One of my favorite movies is Frankenstein (the Lon Chaney version) and there’s a scene where the monster is just brought to tears by a blind man playing a violin.
6 | Posted by Mofo from the Hood | Jul 30, 10:20 AM
So should we assume that people who are either young/can’t afford a car/possibly committing some sort of crime at a bus stop; have no appreciation for classical music? Maybe the swell of violins provide the perfect backdrop to scratching your name in to the walls of the bus shelter. . .
I happen to love both Cecilia Bartoli and Mos Def; word!
7 | Posted by hilltop guy | Jul 30, 10:34 AM
the mcdonalds near westlake in downtown seattle used to play country western but i think it might have kept too many people away, not just the disaffected youth.
i love old skool and alt country, but i will not endure toby keith for any amount of french fries.
8 | Posted by tom waits | Jul 30, 10:45 AM
If they have iPods, they won’t hear anything classical being played. I guess they figure gang activity is done without utilizing iPods.
9 | Posted by kc | Jul 30, 10:51 AM
The only thing I worry about is that people who ride the bus dislike classical so much that they avoid riding the bus altogether. I wonder if anyone factored in a ridership drop and loss of revenue at the fare box as a direct result of playing classical music? Or maybe ridership will go up if people know they won’t be terrorized by thugs at the stops anymore…
If this doesn’t work, there’s always the option to create laser weapons in outer space.
11 | Posted by sparkrobot | Jul 30, 01:05 PM
They tried this at the transit center in Olympia, it doesn’t work. The organ music might even attract higher numbers of the goth kids. The pedestrian interference law down in Olympia may have done more to reduce the number of people loitering in the downtown area. I’m not in favor of such laws but they do seem to have the intended impact. I just have to wonder where all the people that hung around downtown Olympia ended up.
12 | Posted by Crenshaw Sepulveda | Jul 30, 01:23 PM
The story hit the AP. Says we have 53 stories about the music!
“Wash. city fights gangs with symphonies”
“Beethoven battles gangs in Tacoma”
“City hopes classical music will chase gang members away”
“Tacoma hopes classical music tunes out gangs”
Maybe not the best AP story since Tacoma is fresh on everyones mind because of the Zina Linnick
Maybe instead of piping in music, the City could support local artists and pay musicians to play at the transit stations.
Violinists can play for the vagrants, cellists for the cellmates, and harpists for the harpies.
Saves on sound equipment and keeps our musicians employed. What’s not to like? We can record the Northwest Sinfonetta’s next recording at the TCC Park and Ride!
14 | Posted by Erik Hanberg | Jul 30, 02:23 PM
Saves on sound equipment and keeps our musicians employed. What’s not to like? We can record the Northwest Sinfonetta’s next recording at the TCC Park and Ride!
This and a hot dog stand would turn downtown around!
15 | Posted by tom waits | Jul 30, 03:07 PM
They’d better have a good program director. Anything by Ives might work, but La Gazza Ladra, for example, would be among titles NOT to play. Although gang antics would take on a new light-hearted nature when paired with a Carl Stalling-like soundtrack.
16 | Posted by Dave L. | Jul 30, 05:22 PM
Dave L @16.”...gang antics would take on a new light-hearted nature…”
Yeah. Totally agree.
Come to think of it, I got my classical music introduction from Looney Tune cartoons—-Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck etc.
17 | Posted by Mofo from the Hood | Jul 30, 05:37 PM
How about they play a little “Ludwig van” ala Clockwork Orange. That ought to do the trick.
18 | Posted by Matt | Jul 31, 09:31 AM
They used this outside Benaroya Hall in Seattle. Seemed to work?
19 | Posted by Rebecca | Jul 31, 10:41 PM
Commenting is closed for this article.
