DIY houses prove to be savior for smaller music acts

Story by Nick Tallidis

Feb. 23, 2009 – The scene was looking bleak.  Local bands and performers, commodities in which Chicago has historically seen no shortage, were struggling to get their names out.  Touring musicians referred to the city as the “black hole” of the Midwestern circuit, many skipping it all together.  And most disturbing, the Chitown scenesters were stuck at home with nothing to do but blog about it.  The music was there, the fans were there, but an essential piece of the puzzle was missing.

“There was no where for bands like mine to play,” said 21-year-old Ricardo Adame of the band Blueberry Fist.  Adame, who has been playing in local bands since age 15, remembers how hard it was for an unestablished band to land a gig in Chicago only a few years ago. “We were contacting all the venues we knew looking for places to play, but most of them didn’t want to deal with a young band that was new on the scene.”

By no means was the problem a physical lack of venue. Chicago boasts numerous top-notch concert halls, but the restrictions placed on the bands looking to play them can be tough for smaller acts to meet.  At very least, a venue needs a decent recording of the music.  More likely, the act must submit a full press-kit to be considered.  This practice had introduced a strict dichotomy to Chicago’s music scene: those who had the means to make it happen and those who did not.

“I sympathize with both ends of this,” said Rob Majchrowski, 26.  “My business side says venues need to have confidence that a band will draw.  Without any physical media from the band, or at least a good reputation, it’s a risk to book them.”  Majchrowski is an employee at one of Chicago’s premier indie venues, The Empty Bottle, and a musician as well.

“As someone who gigs, I know how important getting shows can be, especially early in a band’s career,” said Majchrowski.  Most every musician would agree with this.  Playing live is the key to gaining a following, but with the major venues out of the question there was little hope for these acts.  That was until a phenomenon known as DIY grabbed the reins of the Chicago underground music scene.

The ideology of DIY, an acronym for do it yourself, is as old as man.  Before big business made our lives simple and carefree, everything from broom-making to patching a roof was a DIY project.  Though these days, when a trip to Super Target can solve all of life’s problems, DIY is done not purely out of necessity, but also rebellion.

This term and ideology have been applied to music since the 1960s, when rock bands moved out of the studios and into the garages.  Punk and hardcore acts from the 1970s and 1980s naturally drifted toward these practices, which fit perfectly into their anti-establishment ethos.  Though DIY struggled as big business gained more control over the music than it had ever had before, advocates have managed to create a non-commercial alternative to nearly every facet of the industry.

Cheap home recording has never been more accessible, self-promotion is as easy as a Myspace page and a trip to Kinko’s, and in the last few years underground venues known as DIY houses have become more prevalent not only across Chicago, but the entire country.  These DIY houses have opened the doors to a new generation of previously ignored bands.

“What we do is all about avoiding the middleman and giving people a good time,” said Rob Winn, 25, of the DIY house Go-Go Town.  Winn along with Chris DeArcanoelis, Cory Fehrenbachler, and Ross Howard opened the house last October.

Entering Go-Go Town, which is located at 3117 S. Morgan St. in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago, one gets the feeling he or she is entering a prohibition era speakeasy.  Though it’s quiet and conspicuous from the outside, Go-Go Town’s doors open to a barrage of loud music, smoke, and scenester chatter.  In its two months as a DIY venue, it has hosted rock, hip-hop, folk, and even comedy performances.

“There is definitely a demand for this,” said DeArcanoelis.  “It’s a little freakier to come to a show here, but I think people feel more comfortable in a shitty house on the South Side than a legit venue with high ticket prices, lots of security, and expensive drinks.”

The relaxed environment of these DIY houses is just one of the many alluring qualities that help keep them packed week after week.  Political, economic, ecological, and social issues play a role as well.   Castaway house, located at 2722 N. Kimball Ave. in Logan Square, is an apartment that hosts acoustic shows and occasionally art exhibits and readings.  Profits from their shows have gone toward causes including the raising of bail money for imprisoned activists and a neighborhood-wide recycling program.

Lindsey Mineff, 23, who along with Raechel Tiffe and Cindy Walbeck founded Castaway House, said, “We tend to attract lots of like-minded people, mainly the artsy, dirty, socially conscious type.”  Mineff believes a congregation like this may lead to a brighter future for music and the community. “It gives people and the bands networking opportunities.  This can spark conversation and spark change which will hopefully lead to great things.”

At the forefront of this movement is a desire to create a music scene that is not tainted by the capitalistic values of the mainstream music industry.  It is rare for a DIY house to profit, even to break even.  The founders of Go-Go Town, though hoping to one day be self-sustainable, currently pay at least $400 a month out of pocket to keep it running.  Despite this, every touring band gets paid.

“We aren’t about money, we aren’t about competition, really we’re just about getting this music out there,” said Winn.

“We started our house,” said Mineff, “for the performers who couldn’t get shows anywhere.  Hopefully, it can be a stepping stone for them.”  Walbeck went on to explain that the DIY scene is not trying to compete or demean the mainstream scene, but instead act as a much needed supplement.

“If it wasn’t for our house shows, no one would have heard of us by now,” said Adame. Blueberry Fist is one of many bands who are grateful that Chicago’s DIY community is finally coming into its own.  Their scheduled tour this winter includes both venues and DIY houses across the country.

“Even if we got really big and could play anywhere we wanted, I think we would still choose to do some DIY shows.  It’s good for the scene and it’s just more fun,” said Adame.