Chicago's "Hallogallo" has contributed greatly to the city's thriving DIY scene. Born out of COVID, it's a scene built upon de-emphasising the algorithm and centring around human connection - lawless shows, handmade zines, and recording straight to cassette.
In his piece "The Anti-Agorithm Rock Scene,"
@millanverma0 writes about why he thinks Chicago was the perfect place for "Hallogallo" to come alive.
"I imagine a similar scene emerging in New York, and immediately think of the Topo Chico sponsorships, PR-blasts, and more rigid venue structure that would eventually muddle its purity. Perhaps Chicago itselfāa central hub that maintains an old-world feelāis to thank for allowing such a vibrant DIY scene to thrive in this age of ultra-commoditization.
Henry Tartt, the frontman of the band Memorycard, moved to Chicago just over a year ago from a small town in Alabama. A lot of his creative friends heād met online or by touring started to move there, and he credits this to four things: āWhat makes a good music scene? Cheap rent, good people, neurotoxins, and genuine freaks. Right now, Iād say Chicago has three of those. It does not have cheap rent.ā
I beg to differ, especially when compared to our countryās coastal options. Tartt later tells me his monthly bill, and reveals that he was recently able to pay it with Memorycard cassette sales. It is cheap indeed."