Jesse Kees leaned back on a stool in The Compact Disc Store, located on the corner of Jefferson Highway and Government Street. His long unkempt hair is covered by a simple black beanie. His white, collared work shirt looks like it was picked up at a thrift store. He wears it untucked with skin-tight denim jeans and plaid slip-ons. Kees, 21, said he is a part of a growing counter culture in Baton Rouge. In the past few years, he has noticed businesses that already catered to the culture have had a growth in customers and attendees. Venues such as Spanish Moon, Red Star and Chelsea’s Café are bringing in more independent bands. In January, Kees attended the Spanish Moon, which began to hold an indie-dance night called Velcro – the Wednesday hang out for the Baton Rouge counter culture. Matt Wilkinson, sociology instructor, said people like Kees are not the typical university student. “The desire to have individuality drives people to become different,” said Wilkinson, sociology instructor, quoting “Nation of Rebels,” a book about counter culture in America. Wilkinson said some students tend to seek out individualism or groups that are more socially acceptable to their tastes. “With large state schools, the mainstream will have a bigger claim,” Wilkinson said. “There will always be room in the mainstream for opposition.”
The Bar Scene
Kees said once he and his friend decided to go to Port Allen to grab a drink on a Sunday night. He said once inside the “frat” looking bar, they were both heckled for their appearance and called “faggots.” Kees sticks to bars such as Red Star and Spanish Moon if he goes out, which feature music more towards his liking – mostly non-traditional and independent. Big independent bands like Neutral Milk Hotel, Voxtrot and Sonic Youth line the electric casing of the bar’s music machine. “That’s our own music in there,” said Randall Harrison, co-owner of Red Star, located downtown on Laurel Street. Harrison said Red Star started as a place for young professionals, artists and architects to hang out. Since its beginning, Red Star has hosted independent touring bands – Harrison still books at least one band a month – and local art shows. Jeffery Kaufman, general manager of Red Star, said the counter culture has existed for years. He said for awhile it was contained in the North Gate area, but it has grown steadily around town. “There’re more venues and a variety of them popping up around Baton Rouge now,” he said. “People of the same interest are now finding them and other people along with it.” Emily Perkins, Red Star employee and ceramics junior, said the bar brings in a regular crowd, but there are always new people frequenting the venue. Wednesday night at Spanish Moon a projection of movies such as “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” or cartoons such as “Happy Tree Friends” are cast on the inside wall. In the background, an old ’80s classic, usually heard on Thursday nights at the venue’s staple Star ’80s, is mixed with a new indie dance hit by bands like J.U.S.T.I.C.E or !!!. “Velcro has a potential to be a monster,” said Aaron Scruggs, Spanish Moon concert and event promoter. He said he doesn’t want Velcro to turn into the “Tigerland” crowds that now frequent Star ’80s on Thursday. Scruggs wants everyone to feel welcomed at the events he puts on, but he doesn’t want any of the trouble he hears about from Tigerland to be brought with it. “Separation is good, but segregation isn’t,” he said. Scruggs said there’s a misunderstanding from people outside the counter culture, but the unity that thrives within it is all he cares about. Business of the Culture
Businesses have gone to great lengths to target customers such as Kees. In the past few years, Scruggs has formed Bullhorn Bandits, his booking company, to bring big independent touring bands to Spanish Moon and Chelsea’s Café. The demand for this music fuels his business, and he is motivated by interacting with the bands he brings in. “Yeah, we’re looking to pay the bills, but we’re not looking to make money. I lose money sometimes,” he said. Scruggs attends every event he puts on. Perkins said Red Star and Spanish Moon rely on making money like any other business in Baton Rouge. She said sometimes a business sees what works and what doesn’t, and once it establishes a crowd, it caters to them. It’s just a natural progression of any business to her. “A big part of business is being connected to our regulars,” she said. Harrison said Red Star sometimes hosts concerts and art exhibits all in the same night that draw diverse crowds.
D.I.Y. Culture
Kees’s band, Man Plus Building, played their first show Thursday night at a house on 444 E. State Street. Bright Christmas lights lined the house. Less than a mile away, The Crystal Method played to a large crowd at the Varsity Theatre. A line is stretched outside the wooden doors of the venue. Stephen Chancey, University alumnus, said he is disappointed in the Varsity’s pick of shows. He said Spanish Moon and Red Star, as well as his house, have a diverse range of bands come through, instead of the same cover bands that frequent the Varsity Theatre. Inside Chancey’s house, touring and lesser known and local bands rocked his living room. There’s a crowd standing in back, and a few people relaxing on lawn chairs in the front of the house. The doors and windows are closed to muffle the sound of the bands, but through the window, the energy is seen by bands and attendees wildly moving. Chancey said the idea of the house show is part of the counter culture, though he has a hard time defining what counter culture means. “The counter culture is absolutely going on at my house,” he said. “There’s a guy with a fabric mask dancing frantically with a Russian guy with his shirt off.” Chancey said people come out to hear bands that sound more authentic than other bands in the area. “It’s hard to go out and see these fake bands and cover bands in all these bars around town,” he said. “I would like to think [other students] would want to come out and see something real.”
More Than a Trend
The University is huge, Perkins said, and there is something for everyone to do. She also sees the mainstream and the counter culture crossing all the time. “I don’t really see the segregation of groups on campus,” she said. “I just see it as we all have a different idea of fun. Just being students, we have a lot in common.” She feels the counter culture is a bit more creative, self-sufficient and enthusiastic. This can be seen in art shows and house shows around town. “There’s something to be said about these kids getting their hands on something and being organized about it,” she said. “That’s what these kids are doing.” Chancey said counter cultures will always exist. He feels it’s trendy for some, but for others it’s just the way they’ve always lived. “Everything is a trend,” he said. “You wouldn’t be wearing certain things if you didn’t want to fit in.” Chancey wants to bring back the ability to go out and have fun without feeling judged. He said the kind of dance nights like Velcro and the new Mod Night at Red Star are events that have been happening in New Orleans for sometime, and he is glad they are going on here. Perkins said the trend of counter culture could eventually die out, but the ideas will always exist. “Counter culture is an overall picture of trying to be different,” she said. “There’s always going to be different scenes in every culture that create different groups of interest.”
—-Contact Adam Pfleider at [email protected]