Music of Olympia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2007)

The city of Olympia, Washington (USA) has been a center of post-punk, anti-folk, and other youth-oriented musical genres since at least the late 1970s. Along with Washington D.C., Olympia was a center for the riot grrrl movement in the early 1990s (Olympia's Bikini Kill and Bratmobile being arguably the most prominent proponents of the movement). Olympia is also the home of a number of record labels, (including K Records (Beat Happening, Mirah, The Microphones), which was co-founded in 1983 by Calvin Johnson, and Kill Rock Stars (founded in 1991 by Slim Moon) (Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, Unwound) as well as The Evergreen State College, Olympia became a mecca for young musicians beginning in the late 1980s. Notable early-period musicians and recording artists included one of Washington States first Progressive Rock Bands Glass, Bruce Pavitt, John Foster (John Foster's Pop Philosophers), Lois Maffeo and Steve Fisk (Pell Mell). John Wozniak of Marcy Playground lived in Olympia while attending The Evergreen State College in the mid-1990s. Beck and Ian Svenonius (of the Make-Up) frequented this Western Musical Town in the early 1990s. and Kurt Cobain and Chris Novoselic of Nirvana moved to Olympia from Aberdeen/Hoquiam in the late 80s/early 90s before moving on to Seattle and world-wide fame. Olympia's The Fleetwoods enjoyed several Billboard chart successes between 1959-1963.

Contents

[edit] Past Olympia Bands

This list includes bands who have broken up or moved away.

[edit] Present Olympia bands

Am~Fm

  • Razzm'tazz
  • Ancient Head
  • Blood Paradise
  • Brownstar
  • Coiler
  • Cumthieves
  • Kimya Dawson
  • Diatribe
  • The Dirty Birds
  • Dying Days
  • Failing Winter
  • Flojet
  • Fluids
  • Fungus Riot

[edit] Venues

  • The Evergreen State College
  • Sylvester Park
  • Capitol Theater
  • Le Voyeur
  • Eagles Hall
  • Washington Center for the Performing Arts
  • 4th Avenue Tavern
  • The Brotherhood Lounge
  • Midnight Sun
  • Java Flow
  • Puss n' Boots Shake Down
  • The Artisan's Cafe
  • The Eastside Club Tavern
  • Back Stage @ the Capitol Theater
  • Tugboat Annies
  • Blackfront Gallery
  • The Clipper
  • McCoy's Tavern
  • Manium (no longer operating)

[edit] Booking Agencies and Websites

  • OlyMusic.com is devoted to maintaining a calendar for Olympia music events. Local promotional and booking agency Pioneer Music also has a listing up coming shows they produce. The Olympia Film Society also hosts Backstage shows occasionally and those shows and performances can be found at OFS Live Events.

[edit] Radio

These are radio stations that play local music.

[edit] Record Shops

  • Rainy Day Records
  • Phantom City Records

[edit] Record Labels