by Katy White
For those of you who do not already know, Ground Zero is an all ages music venue located in Suncook, NH. Ground Zero was organized for teens and bands that want a place to perform or listen to good music. Ground Zero is funded by its owners, and it is not associated with any other organization. The facility itself is 4,000 sq. ft.
As a kid, the owner of Ground Zero was heavily influenced by “negative rock music,” which promotes violence and hatred. This lead him to shoplifting and getting kicked out of public school before he turned 13. He said, “My rebellion was primarily based around the messages I was feeding my young mind at the time, through music I was pumping into myself. Music played a huge role in the hurting teen I had become, and at age 15 I was turned onto Christian rock. It changed my outlook about everything.”
Which brings us to the reason Ground Zero was formed. Ground Zero was started in 1996. It is unique because it does not invite bands to perform whose lyrics promote suicide, drug use, or violence. It’s main objective is to be a place where kids can come to find hope.
Despite the fact that most teens DO listen to music that promotes violence, drugs, and sex, Ground Zero is actually a very fun place to go. The music is very good. The bands are typically very loud; sometimes there are “screamo” bands who perform. The music is usually so good that the lyrics are completely ignored.
