Do It Yourself

When one thinks of a budding cultural scene, that marks a new school of thought or outlook on art, a college town in the middle of Iowa might not be the first place that comes to mind. Given it’s centralized position in not only Iowa, but the Midwest, and even the United States, Ames, Iowa, is just the location for a musical revolution to take place.

Having lived in Ames for over a year now, it’s not hard to see the way that the scene has evolved in such a short amount of time. The number of bands that have been formed in that time has been steadily increasing, while awareness of the scene has also become more widespread. Ames is a place that falls in the middle of many larger Midwest cities that already have established music scenes (Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Lincoln, etc.) which makes it the perfect stop for touring bands from these cities.

For bands that are starting out, or just beginning to tour, the addition of one city to a tour can mean quite a lot. Ames provides a perfect stopping point for up and coming artists who are as hungry for exposure as the populous of Ames is hungry for new music.

Iowa’s largest university, Iowa State University, is also located in Ames, which means that there is a very steady flow of new blood that can circulate through the arteries of the basements and living rooms, pumping life into the ever thriving scene. Given the nature of college towns in general, there are also the runoff’s students that continue to stick around Ames five, or ten, or twenty years after initially graduating, or not graduating in some cases.

Once in the middle of the Ames DIY music scene, it can be hard to find a way out. Having played in two bands, Winnfield and Jon Marko and the Madmen, I have found myself talking to many differently people, from all over the country, who through the serendipity of life, found themselves watching an onslaught of 5 indie-rock bands in one evening. When someone is in the informal environment of a basement or living room, their tendency to mingle with the person who just played a set is much higher. Without the shroud of mystery for the performers to hide behind, the bands are seen as more down to earth and approachable, because at the end of the night, both the performer and the viewer are in the same room, experiencing the same moment.

As the member of a band, promotion of others is very key, and I feel that there is should no shame in plugging some of the artists that play a large part in the scene. Excluding of course, the two bands I am a part of, which I’ve already mentioned. Below is a list of artists that are either from Ames, or I have seen come through Ames in the past year. I highly encourage checking these bands out, for both your sake and theirs.

• Stars Hollow
• Truth Machine
• Always To Blame
• Portal
• The Ambulanters
• Arizona Landmine
• Salt Creek
• Joy Addict
• Mover Shaker
• Hot Kunch
• Little Big Foot
• Liana
• Wiitch Tiit