Downtown Boys by Criz in Arcata. (Image via facebook.com)
There may not be many states qualifying as West Coast, but the term covers tons of ground, and it includes some of the greatest cities for independent music, like Seattle, LA, San Francisco, and Portland. Let's not let their prowess overshadow the potential for spectacular scenes in smaller towns, though. We can think of at least five in the region worth a stop for DIY bands – if you know where to go once you get there, of course.
Note: This is the last segment in the regional guide to smaller cities for independent bands and musicians to tour, so now's a good time to remind everyone about the resources at DoDiy.org. It's a frequently updated listing of venues, collectives, and promoters in various cities throughout the States (and some parts of the world, too) who are actively willing to help out likeminded acts find gigs, places to stay, and more. Anytime you're headed out on tour, we recommend taking a look at what's available there.
1. Eugene, OR
The rock 'n' roll underground in Eugene, less than two hours from Portland, is pretty exciting at the moment. It's where the modern classic punk rag PORK Magazine was founded in 2010, for one, but plenty related history precedes it – see Panic on 13th for a frequently updated chronicle of that past. But right now, the city's scene is absolutely booming with new bands churning out commendable garage and punk – plus indie pop, thrash, hardcore, noise, folk, and more.
The Boreal, an all-ages DIY venue and radical bookstore, is a primary gathering place. With that venue, there's NFN Records, a shop and distro. While there's definitely a focus on punk, all styles are welcome – experimental, electronic, acoustic, etc.– and new but promising acts get the appropriate consideration. House shows and a weekly open mic are cooperatively organized at the Campbell Club by University of Oregon students. (Unsurprisingly, the school's got a great radio station too.) The calendar at Cozmic Pizza is reliably eclectic, as is the schedule at W.O.W. Hall, which is run by the nonprofit Community Center for the Performing Arts. Additionally, there's Missing Time Records, Eugene's self-proclaimed premier punk record shop (which also hosts shows). They're moving to a new location soon, but we think they'll be back in action pretty quickly, though.
For bigger shows, there's the 700-capacity Hifi Music Hall, which opened last year.
2. Anacortes, WA
Olympia and Seattle are famously important cities in independent music, but just a few hours away there's a small-town scene in Anacortes with plenty clout of its own. In the past decade a handful of groups like Mount Eerie and the (now defunct) Lonely Forest emerged, adding more critical acclaim to the area's history of well-received sounds from the likes of Beat Happening, D+, Microphones and prolific project-juggler Karl Blau (more on him soon).
Right now, one of the steadiest active anchors of Anacortes music is the Business, a record shop that first opened in '78. It's changed locations, hands and even purposes – originally the retail selection was quite the mish-mash – multiple times since then; they're actually preparing to settle into a new spot now. Still, there's plenty of history there; it was even run by Bret Lunsford of Beat Happening for a stretch beginning in the mid '90s, then assuming the name of his label, Knw-Yr-Own. Under the current ownership of Nick Rennis, The Business has expanded beyond selling music into global distribution, an effort helmed by Nick and Evie Opp. They also offer free mail order fulfillment for self-releasing artists, and they organize lots of local shows.
If it's not an in-store, one of the go-to venues for The Business is Anacortes Music Channel, a community oriented, all-ages DIY space started by Karl Blau, who's currently the forerunner in the competition for most supportive person of the local scene of all time. AMC is a multi-angle boon to the community: They offer workshops and classes in addition to showcasing live music and various other artistic mediums, and they've also got a radio show. Late last year, however, an accidental fire resulted in severe damage to the property (and everything inside it) – but the local and great independent music community have been helping in the recovery process. In the meantime, they continue championing the Anacortes scene with their radio shows as well as events elsewhere, including nontraditional spots like art galleries and the local public library.
Some of the other spots around town for local music include the Brown Lantern Alehouse, ACME Creative Space, Bikespot, Rockfish Grill and Anacortes Brewery, H20, and the outdoor stage at the larger-scale Heart of Anacortes. The W.O.W. Hall, run by the nonprofit Community Center for the Performing Arts, offers another space in Eugene for all-ages shows of all kinds.
One of the most reliable outlets for coverage of the local music beat is Show Chime, which provides thorough listings and highlights specific artists and events. They've even got an effort underway to catalog all the best Anacortes bands and artists – ever. It should come as no surprise that Karl Blau is sorta behind this project too.
3. Arcata, CA
There's no shortage of clubs in Arcata, a northwestern California town about five hours from San Francisco. There's a stellar record shop too – Missing Link Records. For the purposes of this guide, though, we've decided to highlight one aspect of the independent scene in particular: Breakfast All Day Collective.
B.A.D. Collective is at the forefront of the city's amazing DIY community; they emphasize the do-it-together ethic and operate on a foundation of feminist, anarchist, and queer theories. They're still relatively new, but a partnership confirmed last November bodes well for their long-term goal to occupy a physical space. The Ink People, also based in Humboldt County, boasts more than 30 years of experience as an arts and culture nonprofit, and through their DreamMaker Program have taken the start up under their wing. Until they've got their own stage, though, they continue to be go-to facilitators of all-ages shows featuring bands and artists who bear the same ethos.
Venues like Richards' Goat Tavern and Tea Room, the Miniplex Theater, the Bat Cave, the Sanctuary and the Alibi are regular allies in their effort to support Arcata's community. Downtown Boys, Mirah, Mount Eerie, Ugly Lovers, Skating Polly, and a slew of others have all performed under the B.A.D. Collective marquee, and there's plenty more in the works.
4. Modesto, CA
Easily the best known of the Central Valley city's indie music exports is Grandaddy, formed in '92. They took a hiatus for several years, then reformed, but their last works were an apparent "kiss-off" to Modesto, which frontman Jason Lytle bemoaned and eventually left.
Whatever his reasons, it's not unfair to say that the scene in Modesto is limited. There's just one small venue, really, serving as its base: Deva Cafe. And there's no proper event listing to be found online. Rest assured, though: They're hosting tons of shows. Some are curated by A.H. Art & Music Collective, a DIY group with the goal of organizing one all-ages show per month, while plenty others are booked by the bands and artists themselves. Does this still sound a little too mysterious? We're not sure why there's no promotional push from the space itself, but we can assure that it's one of the primary spots for local and touring independent bands. It may not be a thriving community in the traditional sense, but some of these Modesto groups are startlingly interesting, intense, and unique.
5. Chico, CA
This glowing overview of the state of local music last year by Jason Cassidy, a longtime player within the community, is what really sold me on Chico. The city is listed on Dodiy.org, but there's only one entry: An underground show listing (which, by the way, is great). And then I found Cassidy's article.
His account paints Chico in an almost overwhelmingly impressive light. Honestly, he lists so many bands, I couldn't stop writing to look up every single one. I did, however, manage to check each of "the handful of committed venues" Cassidy lists, and found even more signs of independent music life along the way. Among the bunch are two pizza joints, the Maltese and Monstros, doubling as clubs and booking plenty of rock 'n' roll, hardcore and punk. There's also the volunteer-run 1078 Gallery, which boasts a calendar hosting everything from folk to hip-hop to soul, and plenty of fusions of several styles together. They too, however, book some plenty punk and hardcore – overlapping sectors of the local scene that are clearly thriving. (Note: You should definitely check out Chico Area Punks on Facebook, as well as the aforementioned underground show site.)
The Chico Women's Club, a shop called Three Sixty Ecotique and a few local theaters also host the occasional live concert. For slightly bigger events, there's Lost on Main. Additionally, Sierra Nevada has an Americana, roots and folk-focused venue at its Chico brewery – the Big Room, which seats 350.
For even more on the city's flourishing indie landscape, head over to the Chico News & Review or the Chico Music Calendar.
Go beyond capitals in other regions, too:
Jhoni Jackson is an Atlanta-bred music journalist currently based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she juggles owning a venue called Club 77, freelance writing and, of course, going to the beach as often as possible.
