Lots of people die (Leslie Nielsen most recently) and we put up our RIP posts and say a few kind words. But ultimately those posts are about celebrities that we really didn't know at all. They weren't part of our community and while it's sad when they pass it ultimately has little effect on our day-to-day lives.
This week the news began to spread that local promoter and musician, Ariel Panero, passed away. I met the dude several times and he was a really nice guy. He put together some of the best events in NYC and everyone knew that.
Less Artists More Condos reached a legendary status in the DIY scene and yet he remained a pretty humble dude.
The few times I got to hang with him we talked about putting on some shows together. He seemed really into collaborating, despite the fact that he was much better at it than I am. The thing is, he initiated those conversations. I never would have because that dude was on another level and I just didn't think I would have much to offer from a creative standpoint. Unfortunately, nothing ever came of those chats.
He was also a musician and played in Tough Knuckles with one of my dear friends, Jamen. The funny thing is I didn't even know about this until reading about his passing. Jamen is in a new band every week so it's hard to keep up and Ariel never mentioned it to me but that's probably how I met him in the first place.
Ariel is not the first person in the DIY scene to pass but the hole this is going to leave is simply staggering. The creativity that went into a Less Artists More Condos show was second to none and cannot be replicated. New York City just got a whole lot duller. RIP Ariel Panero, I wish we got around to doing that show together.
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