WFMU’s Beware of the Blog and contributor DJ Trouble have a few suggestions for living under new economic conditions in these depressed times.
Start up a local food or drink club and take turns meeting at friends homes for an evening of fine eats and/or libations. The host offers up her house as part of the circle and everyone else brings a dish or bottle. Figure it out ahead of time for a thematic twist or let the randomness carry you away in DADA-ist revelry. For party favors that double as wall art play Exquisite Corpse and build an art collection as you tour this monthly soiree around the nabe.
Or
Why go out to a club when you know so many musicians? Start a local Hootenanny. Provided you live in a space that can handle the extra noise, do a regular jam session. Invite musicians of varying taste and ability and tackle songs by pulling titles from a jar; the novelty of the surprise works for Yo La Tengo when they play Gaylord’s show for the WFMU fund raising marathon!
I would like to think this all would lead to some great community building exercises instead of the inevitable ultra-violence and cannibalism.