The ethos of New Orleans encompasses inclusion, community, and creativity. There is a seat at the table for everyone, no French Quarter crust punk or Uptown debutante left behind. The collaborative artistic spirit of New Orleans has created a culture defined by music. Below the surface of renowned jazz musicians performing at The Maple Leaf and brass bands booming on Frenchmen Street exists a flourishing realm of local music hidden beneath the glitz and glamour of classic New Orleans music. The DIY scene in New Orleans is a network of artists, venues, and labels who work to keep local music that exists on the fringe alive.

Punk, alternative, and underground rap and R&B have always had their places in New Orleans. However, after Hurricane Katrina, there was a noticeable shift in the way alternative artists and musicians made their way in the city. Though many fled New Orleans, its musical roots could not be washed away. With no rules and little left to lose, artists could run free. Though there is a great disparity between New Orleans 15 years ago and New Orleans today, the DIY music scene is a remaining pulse of underground local music.

There is no one way to define DIY. The phrase “Do It Yourself” hardly captures the essence of a music community bound together by a passion for music and a willingness to make it work. It is not something to define, but rather experience. DIY lives in the floorboards of shotgun houses-turned-venues, in the sweat of packed warehouse shows, in the thrill of pop-up performances on the side of the railroad tracks. It thrives through a tight-knit community of artists who make music for music’s sake and the people who dedicate their time to plan shows and maintain its small-circulating economy. Local labels like Community Records, founded by Greg Rodrique and Daniel Ray, aid in the distribution of regional indie and punk music to give artists within these genres a presence around town. The label frequently holds shows at indie venues around the city like Hey Cafe and Gasa Gasa to showcase local talent as well. The presence of operations like this are imperative to the survival of New Orleans DIY. 

Another aspect to DIY is the revolving collective of music that encompasses it. There is no one distinct genre that determines the bounds of DIY music. It is a coexistence of music that maintains itself through independent resources. Punk band The Pallbearers have been a staple of New Orleans DIY since the 90s, and its presence in the community remains strong alongside a variety of differing-genre bands like math rock duo Caddywhompus and folk singer-songwriter Julie Odell. Rapper Delish Da Goddess’s high-energy shows and DJ Lil Jodeci‘s weekly dance parties stand at the forefront of the local underground rap and R&B scene. There is space for all music to nurture itself in its own alternative way.

Despite the hurdles that stand in the way of prosperity, rising costs of living and crumbling infrastructure to name a few, DIY lives on in New Orleans because of its self-sustaining nexus of artists and music-lovers alike. The community creates a space for musicians who create in the blur of mainstream New Orleans music. As long as there are passionate artists in New Orleans, of whom the city is certainly not short, the local DIY scene will prevail.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

This piece is the first in a series highlighting different components of the New Orleans DIY music scene. Following articles will spotlight local artists, shows, and organizations that support and contribute to the community.