Indianapolis has long had a reputation for being one of those cities a lot of major touring bands tend to skip over, and when some acts do set foot in the Circle City, tickets can be ridiculously priced (Looking at you, Lady Gaga!). Most Hoosiers only know about a small handful of venues in Indianapolis, yet don’t know where else to look. This blog is for those whose only live music experiences have taken place at the Verizon Wireless Music Center, Conseco Fieldhouse, The Murat, or god forbid, The Emerson.
Welcome to Basements & Bass. For the uninitiated, this blog will be a good starting point for learning more about the growing local music scene in Central Indiana. Bands of all kinds of genres have formed in our fair city, spanning punk, indie, hardcore, metalcore, rock, acoustic, hip hop, and more are playing shows in all-ages venues around the city. Every Thursday, readers can expect glimpses into the Central Indiana music scene with band profiles, interviews, reviews, and maybe even some free music.
The following venues are all-ages music venues, started by people who wanted more musical experiences in this barren, cultural wasteland known as The Midwest. The feeling of a DIY community is all over the walls of these spaces, and all it takes to join is to show up to concerts and a display a love of music. Shows happen every weekend in Indianapolis, yet most people don’t know about them. These places are a fantastic place to get started.
The Hoosier Dome
Address: 1627 Prospect Street
General Prices: Most shows are usually $7, but some shows can be up to $10.
The Hoosier Dome is a DIY space in Fountain Square that’s been holding shows for a while but has started picking up the slack over the summer. Formerly a Tobacco-4-Less store, the 150-person capacity is great for providing an intimate experience for fans and performers.
The ES Jungle
Address: 6151 N. Central Avenue
General Prices: Usually the same as The Hoosier Dome.
Up until the end of the summer, the ES Jungle held shows every weekend, but now the Broad Ripple basement venue takes care of shows too big to fit inside the Hoosier Dome. With enough room for 300 people, the venue has played host to bands like The Zero Boys, The Wonder Years, Hawthorne Heights, and more.
The Dojo
Address: 2207 N. College Avenue
General Prices: Normally $5 to $7.
The Dojo is one of the smallest venues in the city, and it uses its size to its advantage. In a space roughly the size of the average living room, the only thing separating the crowd from the band are the microphones standing between them. While the Dojo regularly caters to bands of any genre like most all-ages venues, fans of hardcore punk can usually get their fix there. The Dojo’s small size also makes it an ideal place for people who are new to booking their own shows.
The Earth House
Address: 237 N. East Street
General Prices: At least $10.
The Earth House Collective has thrown their hat into the all-ages ring recently. The building has monthly free markets, pay-what-you-can meals, a coffee shop, and contains a large venue space, which has played host to larger touring bands including The Suicide Machines, Arrah and The Ferns, and OK Go.
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