DIY/Punk/Metal/Emo Shows and Where to Find Them!
Like music? Looking for something cheap and cool to do? Want to get to know some locals? Like crappy music? Then you should check out a DIY show!
From random backyards and patios to overpasses and warehouses, these shows have some unconventionally cool venues. One such memorable show took place at a skatepark, where people were doing tricks on motorcycles and some guy brought a microwave into the pit. Consisting of the dry, dusty backyard of a suburban household, the “cum house” was another favorite. By the end of that concert, there was dirt under our fingernails and in the fold of our eyelids.
A variety of vendors often accompany these shows. Stop by in-between sets to find the bands themselves and sometimes independent artists, selling unique D.I.Y. shirts, patches, pins, other merch, and sometimes food at a reasonable price. One time at a house show, I had some really nice home-cooked lentil soup.
Caption: Guy burning out on a motorcycle at a punk show in South Compton.
How to find ‘em
When I was a young frosh, a kind upperclassman invited me to a punk show. At the concert, there was a guy in a fursuit, and a 6’5’’ dude picked me up with one arm and ran around with me. By the end of it, I got a nosebleed from being karate’d in the face while moshing, and what I think was a secondhand high from all the fumes in the room. From then on, I was hooked. Without the upperclassman’s help, I would have never known such cool stuff was happening in Caltech’s backyard. Now, as a senior, I would like to pay it forward and give other Techers the chance to have the same magical experiences that I had.
So how do you find these? It’s not as simple as googling “punk concerts near me” or checking Ticketmaster or Bandsintown. The only advertising many of these concerts get is through Instagram posts/stories or word of mouth.
So, I’ll resist the urge to gatekeep and share some accounts I know:
Instagram accounts:
- @socalundergroundmusic
- @yomamaproductionz
- @bad_dogg_compound
- @the_diy_shows
- @pigstick_rick
- @socal.emo
Some of these accounts are production companies who help set up shows, and some are venues who host them. They’ll post about any shows they’re involved with. These guys have no online presence (that you can easily find) besides some articles that mention them. One example in our backyard is “Unfair Oaks”.
Another reliable way to find shows is to follow individual bands. They’ll post about any shows they are playing in. The smaller the band, the more likely they’ll be having the show at some guy’s house or a skatepark. Here’s some of my favorites: @linchpin.band, @lagrimascrust, @cimeband, @dead_city_punx_, and @anhedonicsocal.
Caption: An example flyer for a show.
Of course, this “guide” is not comprehensive. There are many other production companies, bands, and venues, I didn’t mention, and other ways to get involved with the scene. You can do a little exploring yourself by just poking around the accounts I mentioned, and seeing what other accounts/bands/venues are tagged. @socalundergroundmusic has a nice Spotify playlist of SoCal bands you could peruse.
Caption: X-Acto performing in the alleyway next to Purgatory Pizza. These guys hooked up an oscilloscope to their synth!
Disclaimer: some of these places could be a bit sketchy, and it’s not entirely clear if the bands have permission to play there in the first place, so attend at your own risk.
Also of note, given the unstable nature of smaller bands and venues, some of the entities mentioned in this article may not be around for much longer (R.I.P. The Rocket 88 and Laundry Wand). Alternatively, some of the bands that were quite small when I first saw them as a frosh, have now blown up and moved onto big shows at “real” venues and festivals (e.g. Vs Self). Every D.I.Y. show is a one-of-a-kind experience, so go see them while you still can!
Caption: Laundromat show at the now-closed Laundry Wand (R.I.P.)