5 Questions with HCN Art Department: Paul Unger

This Month’s 5 Questions is a composite of historians, artists, and commentators.

Compiled by Dwight Easter

Past, Present and Future Predictions

by Paul Unger

“We don’t set the timeline, the virus does.”

Have you ever watched a YouTube video of fireworks going off into the night? Yep, pretty boring huh? Yet, when you are actually witnessing fireworks going off right in front of you, physically experiencing this with other people, it makes a huge difference.

Lemme start this year off like many of us felt; a new year, a new decade, bring it on.

January 1, 2020: I had just put out 2nd local music episode of an online YouTube show I call “The Tidewater Music Express”, and it was time to celebrate a new year. “We are going to kick some ass this year; I’m just getting started,” I thought. My confidence was strong on all levels, music, comedy, art. All kinds of ideas I had that I was ready to carry out. I was felt like I was on a ‘fun’ mission. Nothing could go wrong.

Fast forward to August 2020: I sit on my bed a good amount of time, maybe strumming a guitar, but also listening to live rock music albums. And I’m envious. I’m envious of the people cheering in the background at this rock concert. I’m envious of my former self prior to this virus taking over, thinking about what it was like, the past enjoyment of being at a live show. Collectively, I want us back to where we were obviously, that being face-to-face interaction. The whole idea from the very beginning of music and entertainment was pretty much to interact and live a life.

But this is just me bitching, obviously ‘no-kidding’ we all want this back, well duh?

The Future, in the year 2022: Let’s transport ourselves Buck Rogers style here…yes yes, the future! Looks pretty bleak. The virus will probably be gone, fingers crossed. New York City/The Big Apple and other major cities probably will consist of nothing but filthy rich people in penthouses and poor people living in slums with zero upward mobility. The middle and upper-middle-class "what-have-you" people have vacated the major cities, trying to find solitude and safety by heading southward to rural areas of America, etc.

But, we live in our beautiful 2nd tier city, Norfolk, VA. We can safely say that in the near future after the virus goes away will not be as affected as bad, economically, as the major cities in America. On that note, many of us will grab a breath of fresh air and finally be able to interact at a live music show again. I envision the near future of many local bands looking at each other thinking "Oh my God, we all made it through this damn thing.” Tune our instruments and play for a real live audience again.

So, we must hang in there. Thanks.

- Unger

About Dwight Easter: Digital folk artist, family man and bread merchant. Some of the best moments in my life are experiencing the power and influence of great art. I came up in the Norfolk era of the M80’s, Buttsteak, and Antic Hay.

5 QuestionsDwight Easter