The Omnicircus

So we've all heard it, gentrification gentrification gentrification.

It's hitting the city and in a big way, and while non-profits are rallying together not much seems to be changing.

Walking through the rougher parts of my neighborhood, on the side alley of Natoma and Russ I found this wagon wheel with "The OmniCircus" in red and silver letters.

"Just take a look around at everything and your questions will be much more focused," Frank Garvey told me before our interview began.

Which meant stepping over wires, and behind musical instruments, and not yet animate robots. The walls were adorned with Garvey's paintings from the 1980's which began the whole live art project.

The smell of the welded robots and settled dust overwhelmed. Yes. Overwhelmed. Overwhelmed at the OmniCircus.

The paintings have a message as you pass along the walls: "In the 20th century Friday is payday;that nite people get the feeding frenzy... and the whole damn family gets lost on their vacation like the children's crusade because when preachers talk Apocalypse they lie- the poor see Hell on Earth before they die and so the sign above the tollway says 'to each his own,' proof positive that the survivors go through an orgy of doubt and the band goes out for a hamburger because."

The anthem of the city written 30 years ago.

But neighbors, who don't appreciate the dress rehearsals and the crowds in the alley on the second Friday of the month, have began to complain.

After the third building inspection, Garvey has little hope the OmniCircus will have another performance.

"I have no problem with codes," he said. "But they're being enforced selectively to get us out of here."

And he continues to get anonymous hate spam online, hoping to put an end to his 30 year long production.

I couldn't find anybody on the other side, but my own biases set me at the epicenter of the save local art scene.

BONE CHILLING. What else will happen? Next interview coming soon.