ABSTRACT
Everybody usually knew each other and mixed together at Davis do-it-yourself (DIY) shows, during the author's stay there, between 2008 and 2014, even if they came from different musical and social scenes. Davis DIY shows were mostly organized in houses, usually in living rooms. While other American college-town DIY scenes share much with Davis, there are also some significant differences between DIY scenes in American college towns, as demonstrated with the discussion of the Olympia, Washington, DIY scene. The DIY scene in Olympia, like that in Davis, is affected by the college-town character and its position on the I-5 freeway, but it also differs from it in many ways, due to a variety of geographical and historical factors. Olympia is culturally very active, with many cultural and music festivals and activities happening throughout the year. The Olympian DIY scene has its own social and cultural tensions.
