Indie music scenes

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Indie music scenes are localized, independent, music-oriented communities that exist in many cities, especially in North America and the United Kingdom. These have existed for decades now, in one way or another, but it is now commonplace for a city or town to have a punk scene, a metal scene, or many other scenes based on other forms of art. Indie music scenes became important in the early 1980s, when the rest of the country caught up with punk rock music from New York and London. Scenes are important in keeping indie and punk rock fresh and inventive, because it allows people from a wide audience to hear new independent music and contribute their own talents to it. Obviously, depending on what town one is in, the feel of the scene (and therefore the music that comes out of it) may change significantly.

Arguably, the 1980s indie scene in Washington D.C. was pivotal in changing the outcome of punk and indie rock for decades to come. Bands like Minor Threat, the Bad Brains, Fugazi, and Rites of Spring helped to shape the sound of underground music for years to come. Los Angeles was important around this time as well, producing bands like the Descendents, Bad Religion, and Black Flag.

Around the mid-1980s, as punk and New-Wave's mainstream influence died down considerably, there rose a couple of other important movements. Minneapolis was very important around this time. Bands like Hüsker Dü, and The Replacements would influence many alternative bands after them. People involved in these bands, such as Bob Mould and Paul Westerberg still contribute to the music scene today. During the late 1980s in the Bay Area of California, bands like Operation Ivy, Green Day, The Offspring, and later, Rancid would take form to give a new sound to punk rock. On the opposite end of the country, Frank Black, Kim Deal, and Kristin Hersh were forming bands like the Pixies, Throwing Muses, and eventually The Breeders. These bands would influence the next wave of alternative rock, which due to the massive mainstream success of grunge became divided into mainstream artists and a new wave of indie rock bands who rejected the mainstream in favor of the indie scene.

Contents 1 Indie scenes in North America 1.1 Canadian indie scenes 1.2 American indie scenes 1.2.1 East 1.2.2 Midwest 1.2.3 West 1.2.4 Southwest 2 Indie scenes in Britain 2.1 English indie scenes 2.2 Scottish indie scenes 3 Indie scenes in Italy

[edit] Indie scenes in North America

[edit] Canadian indie scenes

• Montreal: Home to a very well developed indie scene, merging influences from Canada, France, the UK, and the United States in one city. Some publications such as Pitchfork Media are now claiming Montreal as North America's indie rock capital, due to bands such as Arcade Fire, The Unicorns, Islands, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, The Stills, The Dears, Kiss Me Deadly and Wolf Parade.

• Toronto: Home to the NXNE (North by Northeast) festival, which is based on the more popular SXSW festival in Austin. Toronto is also the hometown of veteran rock legend, Neil Young, who has often been cited by pioneers such as Sonic Youth and Nirvana, as a critical influence. The city is also home to indie record labels Wychwood Park Productions, Arts & Crafts, the band Stars, Death from Above 1979, Metric as well as supergroup Broken Social Scene.

• Vancouver: Home of the much revered Frog Eyes, You Say Party! We Say Die!, Tegan & Sara, Destroyer (Dan Bejar), The New Pornographers, D.O.A., Skinny Puppy, Hot Hot Heat and Black Mountain.

• Halifax: Back in the limelight more than a decade after Sloan and Eric's Trip first drew attention to it, Halifax is home to critics' favourites Joel Plaskett, Matt Mays and Jill Barber, as well as several renowned roots performers. With a new batch of artist-collective labels such as Dependent records emerging, the scene is thriving once again.

[edit] American indie scenes

[edit] East

• Athens, Georgia: Known for being the birthplace of R.E.M., The B-52's, and Pylon, with much of the scene focused around the famed 40 Watt Club. In later years, the area spawned many member bands of the Elephant Six collective, including Neutral Milk Hotel, The Olivia Tremor Control, and Of Montreal. While perhaps indie only in the "status" sense, Athens was also the home to the jam band Widespread Panic and producer/remixer Danger Mouse.

• Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Has had a strong indie rock scene since the 1980s. With three major colleges (UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. State University and Duke University) in its vicinity, the area has been fertile ground for music. In the 1980s, the region saw the debut of bands like The Connells. Bands such as Superchunk, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Archers of Loaf, Polvo, and Southern Culture on the Skids formed the core of the indie scene in the area in the 1990s. (The Ben Folds Five got their start in the area, as well, albeit slightly removed from the main indie scene.) Much of the activity in the scene focused on longtime indie club the Cat's Cradle (which relocated to adjacent Carrboro in 1993). Labels also emerged in the area, including Merge Records, founded by members of Superchunk, and the now-defunct Mammoth Records.

• Murfreesboro, Tennessee: About forty minutes south of Nashville, Murfreesboro is a current hotbed for college music. The town is home to Middle Tennessee State University's Recording Industry program in the Mass Communications department. The most notable band to make it from this scene, is the band Self. Their most successful single was "Cannon" from the Subliminal Plastic Motives album, which was released on Spongebath Records in 1995. Spongebath was the heart of the scene and was eventually bought out by Dreamworks Nashville (music division of Dreamworks S.K.G. started by David Geffen), the Spongebath label went under after mis-management of their finances (rumor has it). Dreamworks Nashville was eventually sold off to Universal Music, due to lack of revenue from the label. Recently a record shop has opened called The Grand Palace and it supplies the local scene with it's obscure records and slightly pretentious charm.

• Newark, Delaware: The home of Jade Tree Records, formed in 1990 by Tim Owen and Darren Walters. Jade Tree started with bands such as Railhed, Walleye, Lifetime, and the short-lived DC band, Swiz. The label sat in obscurity for about 5 years until signing The Promise Ring in 1996. Since, Jade Tree has released countless albums from many staples of the indie rock scene. In the early to mid 90's there were countless shows at church halls and Girls Inc. Bands such as the Bouncing Souls, Plow United, Boy Sets Fire, Network 34, Zen Guerrilla, The Crash, Wally and Ann Beretta frequented these spaces. Newark, Delaware and surrounding areas had become a hotbed for traveling independent bands. Unfortunately the possibilities of venues in the area have dwindled with such places as Girls Inc, and the East End Cafe which has going under new owner ship and limiting if not completely doing away with their want to support and promote independent music. The closest venue in recent date is Mojo 13 in Claymont, DE which is trying holding it’s own against bars/venues in West Chester and Philadelphia PA

• New York City: (currently the neighborhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn is particularly notable): The scene was hugely important in the late 1970s, when the punk rock/new wave scene, centred on the CBGBs venue, spawned bands such as Talking Heads, Ramones and Television. Always a contender, it has been cited as a major scene for recent indie rock music with such bands as The Walkmen, TV on the Radio, Interpol, We Are Scientists, The Bravery, and The Strokes. It was also known for it's New Wave scene in the 1980s and continues to be a haven for noise music. One example is the record label Ecstatic Peace, started by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth.

• Providence, Rhode Island: (especially the West Side/ Olneyville) Is most famously known for it's local experimental noise scene including bands such as Lightning Bolt, Arab on Radar, Daughters (band), Tiny Hawks, etc. Most of the scene was originally focused around the warehouse disctrict with collectives such as Fort Thunder, The Pink Rabbit, and Redrum. One of the mainstays in the area is the alternative arts venue downtown known as AS220. Providence once was home to a notorious record shop known as In Your Ear and Armaggeddeon Shop is also known to support the local music community there.

• Washington, DC: The DC area has also re-emerged as a hotbed of indie music. The area gained notoriety in the 1980s when it became one of the flagship cities of the American hardcore punk movement, with bands such as Minor Threat, Government Issue and Rites of Spring. All of these bands were on Minor Threat frontman Ian MacKaye's own record label, Dischord Records. Several newer bands have gained popularity since the rise of MacKaye's later band Fugazi, including Q and Not U, Black Eyes, Decahedron, Dead Meadow, and The Evens, Make Up: Who have inspired many local DC bands such as pg. 99, Crestfallen, Haram, Reactor No. 7, Majority Rule and many others who are all just as equal and talented because they're all helping make the Washington, DC area a major factor in the indie rock movement thats been growing since the 1960s throughout all of Northern America and largely the world over and many others.

[edit] Midwest

• Chicago: Chicago has become known for indie rockers following in the paths of the Smashing Pumpkins, Urge Overkill, Wilco, and The Jesus Lizard; bands like Califone, OK Go, Andrew Bird and Umphrey's McGee hail from the city. Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger of The Fiery Furnaces, who now reside in Brooklyn, New York are originally from Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Chicago is also home to many independent labels like Thrill Jockey, Drag City, and others, and to the popular music-news website Pitchfork Media.

• Bloomington, Indiana: Bloomington, Indiana is the home of Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. The school and the surrounding areas have produced numerous indie bands of note with DIY Punk influences, including Acoustic Folk-Punk bands Defiance, Ohio (band), This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb, Ghost Mice, all of which have recorded on Plan It X Records and play at the annual Plan It X Fest. Other remarkable artists includeMatty Pop Chart (Matt Tobey), and his sister Erin Tobey. Both Matt and Erin have recorded with Plan It X Records as solo artists and also as members of Abe Froman (band). Lo-fi musician Elephant Micah, from Richmond, Indiana, resides in Bloomington.

• Lawrence, Kansas: Home of the University of Kansas has a long tradition as an underground music haven. It is also home to the Wakarusa Music Festival, North vs. South Music Festival, Bleeding Kansas Festival, KJHK, and a vibrant downtown scene. The New York Times wrote, “It may only be rock 'n' roll, but Ghosty, the Appleseed Cast, the New Amsterdams and other young bands are playing it with such virtuosity that Lawrence is now perhaps the most vital music scene between Chicago and Denver.” Other active bands include White Whale, Minus Story, and the Old Canes.

• Omaha, Nebraska: As of 2000, many new scenes are appearing on the radar in Middle America; all with unique sounds. One is the Omaha-based Saddle Creek Records, home to several highly regarded indie rock acts such as Bright Eyes and Cursive. Bright Eyes singer/songwriter and Omaha native Conor Oberst, who started the label, has been called the "King of Indie Rock" by Rolling Stone magazine.

• Williston, North Dakota*

[edit] West

• Denver, Colorado: Known for producing the Elephant Six Collective, a group of indie pop bands, including The Apples in Stereo and Dressy Bessy. Denver also has produced a scene sometimes labeled "country gothic" [1], [2] for its stark combinations of American country and gospel music with unusual or morbid lyrical themes. The approach ranges from solemn, sometimes wrenching religious contemplation by 16 Horsepower, twisted Americana murder ballads by Munly, to rollicking, drunken, apocalyptic Southern gospel by Slim Cessna's Auto Club, all of whom have released albums on Jello Biafra's Alternative Tentacles Records. The Denver music scene has produced several now-respected musical groups, such as DeVotchKa, who were nominated for an Grammy award for their work on the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack.

• Las Vegas*: The Las Vegas music scene consists mostly of underground indie rock, hard core, grind core, screamo, and various other modernized versions of alternative rock. Bands such as The Killers and Panic! At The Disco, who are often confused as indie but aren't really due to their major label status.

• Los Angeles: The L.A. indie scene rides the wave of gentrification through Eastside neighborhoods like Koreatown, Silverlake, and Echo Park, which have given rise to such bands as Moving Units, Autolux, Scarling. and Giant Drag.

• Portland, Oregon: Relatively recently has become a hot spot for indie bands, being the home of such acts as The Decemberists, The Dandy Warhols, and the late Elliott Smith.

• San Diego: In the past, it has bred its fair share of influential bands such as The Locust, The Black Heart Procession, and The Album Leaf.

• Seattle: The Seattle scene became popular in the early 1990s, when bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Screaming Trees had immense success with their music. This was unique since it signaled the first time in a long time that punk-influenece rock had become once again in vogue with the masses. Currently, Seattle could be considered to have the most influential indie pop scene in the world. Indie pop group Death Cab for Cutie launched indie pop into the attention of mainstream America with their newest album Plans.

[edit] Southwest

• Austin, Texas: Host of the annual SXSW (South By South West) festival that showcases a large variety of independent artists across many different venues in the city. Known for SXSW, many often overlook Austin as a local indie scene yet it is home to MIsra Records and many indie artists. Austin, Texas has given the indie rock scene Spoon, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Jeff Klein, Zykos, Voxtrot, and Shearwater. While not the largest indie scene it is a prominent indie hotspot.

• Denton, Texas: In the last 20 years Denton's music culture has grown beyond the rigorous and disciplined world of University of North Texas' College of Music. In 2004 and 2005, the roster of the town's performing and touring indie music acts remained between 90 and 100, a high number considering the town's 2000 U.S. census population figure of only 80,537 people. Notable indie bands from Denton include: Lift to Experience, Centro-Matic, Brutal Juice, the Baptist Generals, Midlake, the Marked Men, Sarah Reddington, South San Gabriel, and Bosque Brown. Although not quite "indie rock", Denton has also produced unconventional acts such as Brave Combo and Corn Mo, contributing to the overall scene. Denton's music culture makes the smaller town Texas' only other city, outside of Austin, that could claim such a title as music town, a reflection of city's own creative and progressive dominant cultural base.

• Tulsa, Oklahoma: Host of the annual Diversafest LLC DFEST known as Oklahoma's Music Conference and Festival that showcases independent artists and hosts educational music industry panels and a tradeshow, Dfest takes place the last weekend in July in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the Historic Blue Dome District. The music conference and festival is one that promotes and empowers emerging artists around the U.S. during two days with over 130 performers playing on over 10 stages in Downtown Tulsa venues in the Blue Dome District and during the days featuring music industry panels, clinics, and a tradeshow at the host conference hotel.

[edit] Indie scenes in Britain

[edit] English indie scenes

• Liverpool - (see Liverpool music scene). Famous for producing Echo & the Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes during the post-punk era, and has recently fostered bands such as The Zutons, The Coral and Hot Club De Paris.
• Birmingham notably Grebo (Pop Will Eat Itself, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, The Wonderstuff ) plus scene surrounding The Jug of Ale bands including rumblefish, Ocean Colour Scene and more.
• London (notably the The Scene That Celebrates Itself, Thamesbeat and Whitechapel scene)
• Manchester - Since the advent of punk rock, Manchester's indie scene has yielded seminal groups such as Joy Division, New Order, The Smiths and The Fall. Famous for the Madchester scene in the late 80's led by Factory Records artists The Stone Roses, James, and The Happy Mondays. The Madchester scene heavily influenced the city's Britpop scene which included blur, Oasis, The Verve and Doves. Singer-songwriters Badly Drawn Boy and Jim Noir operate from the suburb of Chorlton.
• North East - Produced post-punk revivalists The Futureheads from Sunderland and Maximo Park from Newcastle upon Tyne.
• Yorkshire (notably Leeds and Sheffield) - Sheffield is best known in indie cicrles for the band Pulp and its frontman Jarvis Cocker. Several members of Mercury Prize winners Gomez studied at Sheffield University. The rise of Arctic Monkeys has paved the way for new bands such as Milburn, Little Man Tate, The Long Blondes, The Dodgems, 65daysofstatic and Firegarden . Not as prolific as Sheffield, Leeds has still produced notable indie acts such as Kaiser Chiefs, The Music, ¡Forward, Russia!, Hadouken!, The Pigeon Detectives and The Wedding Present.

[edit] Scottish indie scenes

• Glasgow

Bands like Franz Ferdinand, Belle and Sebastian, Mogwai, My Latest Novel, The Fratellis, The Yummy Fur, Camera Obscura, Aereogramme, The Jesus and Mary Chain plus many more.

[edit] Indie scenes in Italy

• Rome - A big contibution to indie music has lately been noticed in Italy. In major cities like Rome Milan and Turin there has been a continuos growth of indie music interest, giving birth to a whole new music scene. In Rome new clubs like the Traffic, The jailbreak and the well known Circolo degli artisti have created a dedicated organization that brings the new born indie bands such as montecarlo\fire, Cat claws, The Black circus tarantula and The shadow line, in front of the capital city's music scene, usually giving the bands the opportunity to support big bands from the UK and the US.