Two (Of the Many) Faces of Corvallis' Punk Scene

(Left to right) Indiana Laub and fellow group founder, Caitlin Garets aim to bring attention to the growing music scene in Corvallis, Ore.

You may have been walking up Monroe Avenue on any given night of the week and heard the loud music emitting from a tiny coffee shop. Interzone Coffee in Corvallis, Ore. is one of the handful of spaces that makes up Corvallis D.I.Y.

Friends Caitlin Garets and Indiana Laub are the two main faces of this growing community that aims to provide an all-inclusive environment for punk rock lovers in Corvallis.

Garets, a Corvallis native, has been involved with D.I.Y. Punk since she was in high school. Growing up in that area and in the local music scene has made her one with the music community.

The two met when Laub moved to Corvallis a mere two years ago from Santa Barbara, Calif., to Corvallis after her partner made a tour stop there with his band, who by a strike of fate played a show with Garet’s band, Angries.

Over the course of a few months, Laub got more involved with booking shows in Corvallis. “A lot of shows I booked here ended up being bands that I had booked in Santa Barbara” she said. After a few years, the community began to expand, thus creating Corvallis D.I.Y.

Laub chats with fellow Corvallis D.I.Y. member during a group meeting at her house in Corvallis. 

They host meetings every month to come up with new ideas for shows, 

events and other methods of community outreach.

The pair have made great efforts to begin reaching out to a new demographic as a method of making their community more known via social media. As of recent, they created a Facebook group that allows anyone to join in, and contribute to discussions. Currently, there are 302 active members.

They both agreed that this was the most effective way to not only bring everyone together, but to reach a new demographic of college students.

Both Garets and Laub have not only networked Corvallis D.I.Y., but they both play music as well. To them, music was what birthed their friendship, and the rest of their community as well.

Garets plays with household dog, Ruth, during the meeting.

“It’s a different kind of relationship.” said Garets. “The strongest friendships I have were built from music.” She has been playing with her current band, Angries, for 10 years now and considers them her family.

Laub found her sense of community through making music as well and has expressed her difficulty connecting with others on a surface level. “It’s just what I do”, she said, “since I was 13 years old. When I started booking shows, It was the only way I knew how to meet people after moving up here.”

To the two of them, punk culture and music is what drives them to make everyone feel welcomed. They expressed that people who enjoy this environment went on some kind of journey to find it. Whether it be from a political standpoint, or simply a sense of common values.

“That’s what sets D.I.Y. apart from other genres”, Garets said, “nobody is in it for the fame or the money.” D.I.Y., or “do-it-yourself” represents a subculture of music that strays away from being competitive and out for the glory.

Vocalist Ryan Mangione of punk band Vacant Life out of Seattle, Wash., has expressed a similar thought. “Bands in D.I.Y. support each other, and care about each other, not about who can sell the most records.”

Garets and Laub exchange a laugh and look at the stickers
 on one of the many guitars in the living room

Unfortunately, both Garets and Laub know what it’s like to not have their community taken seriously. “You can tell that some bands that come through want to use it as a crutch.” said Garets. Their goal is simple- to provide a supportive and encouraging environment for musicians of all walks.

“Anyone who legitimately gives a shit is welcomed to join in” Laub said. Earlier that day during a group meeting they expressed that “[you] simply gotta’ show up.” To this group of passionate individuals, the most important thing you can do is be active and show that you care.

While Garets and Laub are the two most visibly active members, they do not want to be known as being in charge. To them, nobody is really in charge, it is a community effort to bring attention to an overlooked local scene.

Laub’s advice to others is “there are always going to be people that don’t take it seriously, you just need to ignore it and put yourselves out there.”

The event page can be found on FaceBook as well as their website, and is definitely worth a trip to one of the local shows. 

Collection of cassette tapes adorn the wall of Laub's living room.

(All photos by Dylan Conner)

At a Glance:

• Indiana Laub was born in Santa Barbara, Ca. and moved to Corvallis, Ore. with her partner to pursue music in a growing local scene. 
• Caitlin Garets was born and raised in Corvallis, Ore. and met Indiana through music, where they both aim to expand their small, yet growing, community. 

You can listen to a compilation of the Corvallis D.I.Y. bands at https://corvallisdiy.bandcamp.com/releases

Additionally, you can view the page and see upcoming events at http://corvallisdiy.org or http://facebook.com/corvallisdiy

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