The room is vast, brightly lit, almost like a cafeteria. People are pressed against the walls around the room, conversing and greeting one another. Others sell merchandise and other handmade goods at tables in the back. A stage stands at the front of the room, a foot from the ground. A band begins to strum its instruments. Like students being called in by the bell, the wallflowers quickly form a large circle as the lights turn off. The people in the back stand and push their tables forward, almost as if they were forming a wall. The air is filled with anticipation and a slight smell of sweat. Then, the magic begins.
Hidden in the basements of pizza shops, community centers and neighborhood homes is an unknown, tight-knit community of music lovers, creatives and artists. The underground music scene is much more than mosh pits and punk music. It is a space where people unite to support one another, advocate for rights and create a family. Although the scene does not focus on monetary gain, it is rich in history and culture throughout Connecticut.
Where It All Began
The underground scene in Connecticut got its credibility with The Anthrax. Originally in the basement of a makeshift art gallery in Stamford, Connecticut, the venue was an essential stop for punk bands at the time. In 1986, as the venue gained popularity, it quickly ran out of space, closing its location in Stamford and opening at its most known location, 25 Perry Avenue in Norwalk. The venue hosted bands such as Sonic Youth, Murphy’s Law, JUDGE and many more.
The venue put out a magazine, or a zine as the underground community calls it, named “The Anthrax Digest,” which wrote about local bands, concert reviews, and album reviews for all fans of punk music.
In 1990, the venue lost a zoning battle with a nearby apartment complex expanding and was shut down, but not without leaving a musical legacy in Connecticut and beginning what would now become the modern-day underground scene.
Many other venues like this existed in the state at the time. One was the Tune Inn, a hardcore club in New Haven that was a living room space that hosted punk and other genres of music. The venue was open from 1992-2002.
“Tune Inn was a living room with a stage, a floor to sleep on for a band that could not afford a motel room, a practice space for another band that did not have one, a place where you tuned in and found your thoughts and feelings and expressed them,” club owner Fernando Pinto in said his official closing statement.
The Cellar on Treadwell
In Hamden, specifically, the scene has been thriving for years. Two venues, previously known as The Outer Space and The Space, sit across the street from one another. When The Space grew in popularity and expanded, it moved into a second venue – The Outer Space. The Space, known for its open-mic nights, local bands and full bar and kitchen, was previously owned for almost two decades by Hamden local Steve Rodgers and was sold in 2017. Shows were moved to The Outer Space for the time being as new ownership of both venues began.
The Outer Space was bought and turned into what is known today as The Space Ballroom, an all-ages venue for touring bands and local bands. The venue known as The Space was also reopened and is now The Cellar on Treadwell, a 21-and-over restaurant, bar and venue for punk shows, DIY(Do It Yourself) music, and touring acts.
Shari Vikmanis, current co-owner of The Cellar on Treadwell, was a big fan of The Space and still believes in what that venue offered to the DIY community.
“We moved a little bit away from the all ages vibe, but really tried to stay very close to the roots of what The Space was,” Vikmanis said. “We support a lot of original music. We like to support local acts. We are very genre nonspecific, I would say. Really like to have a little bit of everything. We want to be a place that everybody feels welcome. Every kind of music is welcome.”
Vikmanis, her husband, and their business partner, Pete Mould, whom they met while frequenting The Space, are deeply rooted in the underground scene in Connecticut and carry that passion in their work.
“My husband has been in Connecticut since high school, and he was definitely part of a more underground music scene,” Vikmanis said. “When he was in high school he played in a lot of original hardcore bands. There was a club in New Haven called the Tune Inn which was an all ages venue, and he’s deeply rooted in that scene. Our other business partner, Pete, grew up in Milford, played in a lot of metal bands in the area from smaller shows to bigger shows, you know, opening for touring bands at the Websters. So I think between those two guys, their experience being part of that local music scene definitely has helped us.”
Being a 21-and-over venue with a full bar and kitchen, The Cellar is more well-known than other underground venues. Although it still considers itself a dive bar and basement venue, it is on the bigger end of local venues. When tables are cleared out for bigger bands, it can fit more people than many “DM for address” type venues. This is the role The Cellar plays in the scene.
“I do think that some of the bands, as they’re coming up,” Vikmanis said. “Playing at The Cellar is a goal for them. Something that they can aspire to, or that they want to do.”
Vikmanis firmly believes in the power of the underground scene and the community it can create for musicians in any city.
“I think that the one thing that the Underground and the DIY scene does for not just Connecticut, but for any town or city is, it gives up and coming people the idea that, ‘hey I can do this too,’” she said. “I think that, even more so, it is a community builder, you know, people doing things together, helping one another to achieve a common goal is, I think, the beautiful thing about the underground scene.”
Building this community and celebrating art and music comes from more than shows. The Cellar hosts an Industry Night monthly where local food trucks and chefs can do pop-ups, local artists can share their work and musicians can perform. It has a rotating art wall where local artists can sell and promote their art each month at the venue. Its next biggest venture is changing its kitchen to partner with small businesses like Jam City Pizza, which features local chef Tyler Demora.
Underground Experience
Bands aim to play at places like The Space Ballroom and The Cellar on Treadwell, but where they start is with Underground Experience. Matt Srolis, owner and founder of Underground Experience, started his journey during COVID-19. He interviewed bands and reviewed new releases, and he is now a prominent show booker in the underground scene.
Getting its roots in the indie/alternative scene, Underground Experience now runs the hardcore/metal underground scene in Connecticut, bringing in bands from all across the Northeast.
“At this point, we’re really focused on building up the hardcore community in Connecticut,” Srolis said. “I shouldn’t even say build up, because Connecticut has a rich history of hardcore. But [it is to] maintain that legacy as well as bring new sounds in.”
Connecticut has deep roots in traditional hardcore and indie, but Srolis wants to expand this to other metal subgenres.
“I think that there’s a lot of genres and sounds like screamo, grinds, power violence, a lot of metal, too, like death metal, that just hasn’t got a chance to shine because the community is so ingrained in hardcore or indie, and I feel like I really want to build up those sounds and create a diverse portfolio of sounds, and identities and creative expression,” Srolis said.
After booking his first show at The Maxx community center in New Milford in 2022, Srolis found his calling and booked shows weekly through June 2024.
“I didn’t really fit in high school,” Srolis said. “I was always kind of in that space of insecurity where you don’t want to try anything because you’re scared you’ll be bad at it and I feel like the music scene kind of gave me a place where I could feel comfortable to do what I want to do, and also explore creatively.”
One of the biggest takeaways from his time in the underground music scene has been the community. Srolis talked about how, after high school and college, there were few spaces for people to come together and bond over a common interest. The underground scene is the perfect place for this.
“I almost believe that it doesn’t just serve the community in certain aspects. Sometimes it is the community,” Srolis said.
With music like screamo and heavy metal, people expect crowds to be angry and aggressive, but the uniqueness of the hardcore community is that their love shines through this theme in music.
“Hardcore especially, it’s not something sexy like metal,” Srolis said. “It’s not something that, up until recently, was even tried to get on like a huge, huge stage. So lot of these people are just the most earnest, authentic people who are just doing this for the love of it There is no other genre where you get punched in the face, and you get up and you punch that person in the face. There’s no other genre where that stuff is normal, and that may sound weird from an outside perspective. But it is just so unique and such a culture that is inherently just based in love and community.”
Dylan Gianotti, who has been going to shows for over two years now, feels at home in this space.
“There’s a really big sense of community within the scene,” he said. “I guess I describe everybody as a little weird. But I feel like that’s what I kind of like, everybody’s different. But that’s what brings everybody together. It’s because they’re so different.”
Shows are for all ages, genders and people. It is a judgment-free space where friends and strangers can engage with others who support the same ideas and music.
The bands performing do this for the love of music. Although most shows have a $15 cover fee, attendees are never turned away for not being able to pay. At the end of the night, bands get a portion of this money, the rest of it goes towards renting the space. The hardcore community is focused on sharing music and enjoying their time rather than making money from expensive tickets and merchandise.
Shows often feature multiple bands in one night. Sets range from 20-30 minutes, with breaks in-between. During breaks, audience members can go to tables at the back of the venue to purchase band merch and other artwork to support local bands.
Other people prefer to go outside, where small groups share a smoke, converse and laugh. The heaviness of hardcore music and style is in no way reflected in the personalities of those in the community. Friendly faces fill the crowd and greet people as they enter the venue.
As the sets begin, crowd members form a large circle with a big open space in the middle. This space varies per show, but there is plenty of space for moshing. As bands begin their sets, the magic starts. People rush into the center of the circle whenever they feel, performing motions known as throwing down, two-stepping, and swing kicking. These motions/dances are the type of moshing that happens at hardcore shows. This is very different from a typical push-pit at a rap show, where individuals are standing close together and jumping up and down shoving one another.
When it comes to moshing, it can be aggressive, with people running into one another. But the crowd is extremely aware. The second someone is on the ground, every person around them, helping them up. Most importantly, everyone is highly supportive. Members of the crowd go into mosh whenever they feel the pull of the music, even moshing solo. Other crowd members look on with head nods of support.
Bands perform with passion and joy as they bring their ideas to fruition. In just 20 minutes, they are able to bring the energy that a full two-hour stadium show can have; this is because of the work that goes into their art. People recognize passion anywhere. Even someone who may not be keen on screamo or extreme music can see the hard work and sentiment that goes into the lyrics and music. All of this shines through from the booking process to the show. Every member of this community puts in everything they can to support one another.
This support is why audience members keep coming back. Jesse Tague, 20, has been going to underground shows for two years and keeps coming back for more than just the music.
“I think there’s a certain energy that you can’t really capture to the full extent if you just listen to hardcore music solely through your phone,” he said. “The community aspect also, talking to people, getting to know each other, building friendships and stuff can go a long way to a lot of people.
Although the hardcore scene has a deep history of community and has spent decades building up this reputation, its welcomeness comes from the attendees’ first show. Brooklyn Platt attended her first show this year.
“Everyone kind of was on the same wavelength,” she said. “I go to a lot of punk concerts. So I feel like the vibe is kind of similar, but like it’s not as as much of a community. Everyone there, either they all knew each other or they acted like they all knew each other. It was really cool to see that. It’s like a family kind of aspect, which you don’t normally see in a regular concert setting.”
How Do The Bands Feel?
Two-piece queer punk band from Western Mass, Film and Gender, consists of vocalist and bassist Issley and drummer Brett Forgett. After being high school best friends, the two formed a band out of boredom during the pandemic. Film and Gender is now one of the bigger bands in the DIY and punk scene across the Northeast.
Issley finds that the best shows are in unconventional spaces. This unique element brings the music to life in a new way.
“We’ve played in kitchens,” Issley said. “We’ve played in living rooms, we’ve played in attics, we’ve played in libraries, we played in churches. You know, usually the more off-key the better.”
There is a big difference between small and large venues. Although some artists aim to sell out stadiums and arenas, many underground bands have an undying love for intimate packed venues and the closeness they offer.
“We really value the intimacy of DIY shows, because that stage factor, as far as the height difference, there really isn’t (any). I like being eye level with people.” Issley said. “I feel like it puts you on the same level as the people in the crowd, which I think is important because I think the best shows are like tennis or ping pong matches where I send energy into the crowd.”
After playing their first show as a band at a transgender artist showcase, Issley found itself drawn into a new community that could offer acceptance and inspiration.
“Being able to meet so many cool people,” Issley said. “And I don’t mean just other musicians, just people who come to shows and talk to them and see what they wear, and see how they express themselves. We all kind of bounce off each other.
Through meeting concert-goers and other bands, Issley has learned a lot about it’s identity and new ways to express itself.
“That’s been really helpful for me to really explore and find my identity, and that’s still evolving, of course, but I’m in a much more comfortable place than I was 3 years ago,” Issley said. “That’s almost entirely due to the fact that I’ve been able to engage with all of these communities throughout the areas we’ve gone to.”
Being a growing band and getting more recognition can become difficult in an environment like the underground scene. In a scene whose principal value is to go against mainstream and value punk and retaliation against society, growing a following can sometimes be looked down upon. However, Film and Gender plans to use its growing platform to extend the culture of the underground scene.
“I think the goal is to get bigger, but I think to do that more so by playing in new places, and whether that be literally like new cities, or just bringing underground DIY music to places that it otherwise wouldn’t,” Issley said.
Small non-underground local venues often only look for large touring bands when it comes to booking. It is difficult for local hardcore bands to play at bigger venues without the following. Issley plans to change this.
“My goal is to get underground music into bigger local venues, because there’s a lot of venues that have a capacity of a couple of 100 people around here that just don’t entertain having DIY music, and I think proving to them that, if we put on these shows people will show up,” Issley said.
Film and Gender, like most other bands in the space, provide an outlet for audience members at its shows. Issley believes that its sets and sets like it add a special place for members of the communities it plays in. This is a space where people can be themselves and not feel judged. A space that has not always been available for minorities and those who feel outcasted by society.
“I graduated high school in 2017,” Issley said. “In my graduating class of 400 people, there was one openly queer person. I knew I was queer back then, but I would never dare express that, and I really do wish that I knew about/had those spaces.”
Issley hopes that Film and Gender’s music and message helps listeners feel scene and it’s shows provide a space for people to be themselves.
“I love when I see people who are younger at our shows because I hope that’s an outlet for them to express themselves comfortably where they might not feel that way at college or at high school, even,” Issley said.
Film and Gender also help keep the scene alive and thriving while respecting its history. Just like the zines from The Anthrax, The Captain Debbie, the younger sibling of Brett Forgette of Film and Gender, created the Film and Gender Zine.
The Captain Debbie writes about a variety of topics, from fashion to international efforts bands are supporting It opens submissions for artwork and photography from local artists. The zines are also printed and available at regional markets.
More Than Metal
The underground and DIY scene in Connecticut is heavily focused in punk and hardcore music, but this is not all that it holds. Like Srolis first began, indie music has a huge foothold in the underground scene.
The Shop in Hamden is one of the few unknown venues in the scene. Keeping its traditional “DM for address” on flyers, the space is able to host small shows for DIY bands. After the closure of the performance space in November of 2023, The Shop continues to function as a recording studio while still occasionally hosting small shows.
New local band Pilm had the opportunity to play at The Shop in Hamden on November 7, 2024, opening for the band Walk Me Home. Pilm, who formed this past March, felt fulfilled playing at the venue that started it all for them.
“The shop was actually our first official practice space and where we recorded our first song,” said Mason Rosenbaum, writer, guitarist, and singer of Pilm. “Playing a show there felt kind of full circle and was definitely fun. It’s an intimate space and local for us, so it’s a cool spot where good bands come through quite often and all the friends pull up.”
Growing up in Connecticut, Rosenbaum found a lot of value in the underground scene. The community formed through music and passion goes beyond genre. In this case, it is simply about the people.
“The scene is super important here,” Rosenbaum said. “Living and growing up in Connecticut there’s not a ton of people super involved in DIY music, and it’s hard to meet people interested in the same things as you.”
When he moved closer to the city, Rosenbaum was able to find his niche, and feel at home with the community of fellow creatives.
“Moving to New Haven and experiencing for the first time a pretty thriving scene with a lot of people interested in the same type of music is really cool,” Rosenbaum said. “I’ve made some of my best friends this way. I think it offers a very real sense of community that as far as Connecticut goes is otherwise hard to find.”
Keeping a Community Alive and Thriving
There will always be a place in any city for people to come together and share their passions. Whether it is in a community center, a backyard or a recording studio, art is everywhere. With the right people, any building can become a family home. Throwing punches in a mosh pit can translate to hugs and never-ending support. Its ability to bring people together and create a space of inclusivity and acceptance is what keeps the underground community alive.
“Just do it,” Dylan Gianotti’s said for anyone wanting to get into the scene. “There’s really no other thing but get to shows. Support your local bands, and yeah, just show up and show out.”