Olympia Music History Project: Documenting Olympia’s Music Scene, 1980-2002
Thursday, February 15, 6-8pm
FREE Third Thursday
Between 1980 and 2002, Olympia experienced a cultural explosion. The nation took notice during this unprecedented time of creative collaboration. Olympia’s music scene was featured in articles and magazines across the country. Record labels like K Records and Kill Rock Stars championed a feminist movement known as Riot Grrrl and introduced new sounds, including experimental, punk, lo-fi, and early grunge.
In 2022, the City of Olympia’s Heritage Commission hired Kelsey Smith of Lefty Copywriting LLC and Elaine Vradenburgh of Window Seat Media to begin a process of researching, documenting, and preserving Olympia’s independent music scene.
The Olympia Music History Project was formed in October by Kelsey Smith, Mariella Luz, and Markly Morrison to continue working on the project independently. Please join organizers Kelsey, Elaine, Mariella, and Markly in a conversation about Olympia’s music history and their work on the Olympia Music History Project (formerly contracted as the Olympia Indie Music History Project).
Olympia band Chance of Ghosts will close out the evening in a musical fashion. Post-punk band Chance of Ghosts feature musical heavy hitters Dave Bailey (Roostertails) on guitar, Heather Dunn (Tiger Trap, Dub Narcotic Sound System) on drums, Olivia Love (Mosquito Hawk, Black Betty) on lead vocals, Jon Merithew (the Noses, C-Average, Mosquito Hawk, Blues Fairies) on guitar, and John Shultz on bass.
PRESENTER BIOS
Elaine Vradenburgh (she/her) is an oral historian, multimedia storyteller, and educator and the Co-Director and “Memory Activist” at Window Seat Media. Before founding Window Seat in 2016, she carried out her vocation through a variety of roles — as a development director at nonprofit organizations in the South Sound; as a community-based learning coordinator at high schools in Albuquerque, NM and Portland, OR; and as a freelance videographer and editor. Elaine has also served as an adjunct faculty member at The Evergreen State College since 2017 where she has taught in the MPA and Evening and Weekend Studies programs. She holds a BA in Cultural and Community Studies from The Evergreen State College (1998) and a MA in Interdisciplinary Studies: Folklore, Anthropology, and Journalism from the University of Oregon (2008). Elaine’s roots and extended family are in New England, and she has called Olympia home since 2008.
Image: Nikki McClure
Kelsey Smith is a librarian, freelance researcher/writer, artist, and community organizer. Kelsey formed Lefty Copywriting & Research Services LLC in 2022, and the Olympia Indie Music History Project was her first large contracted project. Kelsey is the director of Community Print, a 25-year old community letterpress shop that provides instruction and access to antiquated printing equipment. Kelsey was also a founding member of the Olympia Zine Fest, an annual celebration of zines and independent publishing.
Mariella Luz is a working artist, studio potter, and instructor. A graduate of the Evergreen State College, Mariella founded the Olympia All Ages Project and worked as general manager for K records. She currently serves on the board of the Olympia ArtSpace Alliance and the City of Olympia Cultural Access committee. Mariella conducted four oral history interviews and assisted with transcription for the first phase of the Olympia Indie Music History Project.
Markly Morrison is a musician, DJ, and audio journalist. Another graduate of the Evergreen State College, Markly founded Low Profile, a project that includes a podcast, a radio show on KAOS 89.3, and a public access television show on Thurston Community Media. Low Profile collects first-hand oral histories from Indie musicians to introduce them to new audiences. Markly also organizes the Scherler Sundays Summer matinee concert series, is a weekend announcer at KXXO, and hosts the weekly Questionable Music Trivia evenings at 3 Magnets Brewery. Markly conducted three oral history interviews and assisted with transcription for the first phase of the Olympia Indie Music History Project.
Image credit: George Smith
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