The Wake

There is a musical note fit for nearly every human emotion. Life’s ups and downs just wouldn’t be the same without melodies and rhythms to accompany them. Celebration? Music is the star. Tragedy? Music consoles. And exactly one year after the untimely death of one of Minnesota’s most beloved senators, thousands agreed that music, as a metaphorical shoulder to cry on, never sounded so sweet.

“I want to remember October 25, 2002 as the day the music died, and October 25, 2003 as the day when people who’ve spent their lives attending anti-war rallies and teaching kids and championing local music and independent films got together via the great big antennae of music and took another shot,” wrote Twin Cities writer, Jim Walsh, in an e-mail calling for participants in the first ever Wellstone World Music Day.

The grassroots effort to organize local musicians and venues to dedicate a day of music to the late senator began in early August at Lakewood Cemetery. Walsh was visiting the Wellstone monument when he decided that being with people and listening to music was the way he wanted to honor the memory of Paul Wellstone. It all started with one email that was sent to musicians, newspapers, and concert halls. The message was then forwarded over and over again and finally the idea evolved into something that warranted its own Website.

This call to musicians was one that resounded loud and far. More than 50 venues in the Twin Cities area and nearly 20 more statewide participated in Wellstone World Music Day. The borders of Minnesota, however, did not stop the musical events from spreading. From New York City to Berkeley, California, people were singing and playing their grief away.

“It’s about honoring him as a spirit. It’s not a day to sit at home alone in despair, but a day to be with people and hug strangers,” said Walsh.

First Avenue, The Triple Rock Social Club and the Turf Club were among some of the larger venues in the Twin Cities area to dedicate the day to Wellsone. The music, however, wasn’t restricted to these common concert venues. Melodies rang out of schools, churches, and peoples’ homes as a tribute to the Wellstone and the other victims of the accident.

Raymond Yates of Apple Valley opened his home to strangers and performed with his acoustic folk trio as a way to show support to the Wellstone legacy. Yates thought music was an excellent way to pay tribute to the late senator.

“Music is such an important expression. It touches a deeper place than just dialogue,” said Yates.

University of Minnesota graduate student, Brian Muthyala, agreed with this statement and was among several hundred people mingling in the melodies at Ruminator bookstore in St. Paul. He said that music was a fitting means of tribute to Wellstone.

“Everyone understands music. Music is universal and brings people together, just like Paul did,” Muthyala said.

Muthyala also said that the sense of connection he feels to the Wellstone cause was made stronger than ever by meeting and talking to others committed to Wellstone’s vision while he reminisced at Ruminator.

The sense of community that these musical events created on this anniversary of tragedy may have been enough of a charge to give all those following in the footsteps of Paul Wellstone another lease on their Republican-controlled, Minnesota-worn dreams.

All those who played, sang, rapped, hummed, hugged, or laughed their way through Saturday, October 25, 2003 showed that they will still answer the way Paul would have to the opening line of Radiohead’s timely, Hail To The Thief. “Are you such a dreamer to put the world to rights?”

Yes.