Do-it-yourself (DIY) venues like The Tollbooth and The Coy Pond have emerged as multifaceted hotspots within Lawrence's music scene over the past year. Behind the deep bass and colorful lights, each venue tells a story of fellowship, resilience, and artistic expression.
The Tollbooth and Koi Pond is run by University of Kansas students and aims to provide a platform for local musicians and foster a safe and inclusive space where everyone can appreciate music.
“Both venues are just trying to make it more inclusive for everyone and less intimidating and more inviting,” Teddy Tran, co-founder of The Tollbooth, said of Lawrence's music scene. I think so.''
Up-and-coming seniors Tran and Zach Black built Tollbooth in the basement of their home in 2023 as a welcoming place for people looking to break into the DIY music scene.
In addition to Tollbooth, Tran and Black own a record label called Turnpike, which provides artists with the resources they need to succeed in the ever-evolving music field. The balance of Black's experience as a drummer for bands like City Hall, Seal of Approval, and Sleet with Tran's knowledge of music management and the internet led to the creation of Turnpyke.
“The main purpose of the record label was to help local bands get through a difficult situation, right?” Black said. “Many local bands don’t have the knowledge or resources to market themselves and distribute their music.”
Tran and Black said they look forward to collaborating with new artists and hosting more shows at The Tollbooth in coming semesters. They appreciate the intimate home-party atmosphere of DIY venues that they can't experience at traditional venues.
Koi Pond DIY Venue was founded by Regan Virnoche in early 2024. Vilnoche, the Lavender Bride singer, created the venue after feeling like she didn't “fit in” in the music world because of her gender.
“When there are systemic problems like this, [of a male-dominant music scene], we have to be intentional about overcoming them,” Vilnoche said. “So I wanted to create a space that was not only femme-forward, queer-forward, and safe, but where every bill was at least half femme.”
Vilnoche values the joy and trust people feel at Koi Pond as a safe space for the femme and queer communities to have fun. Vilnoche plans to continue to promote local artists and foster new connections at the venue by inviting Kansas City-based and touring musicians.
Rising junior Amy Rocha entered the local music scene in early 2024 as DJ “Amyone.” She attended TheKoi Pond's show on April 20th, and she was pleased to see the representation of women and the gay community, who are often not welcome at local venues.
“Some places won't hire you because you're a girl,” Rocha says. “So it's great to see women and queer people there. Of course, everyone is welcome and they want to give you a chance.”
Local DJ and rising junior Nate Sullivan played his first show at the Tollbooth in September 2023 and performed at the Koi Pond in April. He DJs under the name “SULL!VAN” and praises the culture and accessibility of his DIY scene in Lawrence.
“The reason DIY is so great is you can pay what you can afford, like $5. If I were a kid, I wouldn't have ID. I can't go to a bar, but I want to participate. “I think so,” Sullivan said. “I think DIY is great in that respect.”
When Sullivan launched her online clothing brand, Vega 9602K, in the summer of 2022, she knew she wanted to bring it to the local music scene. He created Room 96, an extension of the brand that provides a platform for electronic music artists.
Sullivan said she has loved music since she was a child and wants to encourage young people who share the same passion through Room 96's live events.
“Just looking at something like this [Room 96] When I was younger, I thought, “Oh, I love this so much, I want to do something similar,'' Sullivan said. “So it's about inspiring young people.”
Grant Wood, a DJ, producer and recent graduate from the University of Kansas, was welcomed into the music scene by Sullivan, whom he met during a show at a tollbooth. Wood DJ who works under the name “Boy 2000” in Lawrence.
Wood played The Koi Pond in April with eight other DJs and praised the DIY venue's open-minded, organic environment. He credits his growth in the local music scene to his KJHK, a student-run radio station at the University of Kansas, along with Sullivan, Turnpike, and Room 96, and joined the Kansas City scene after graduation. intend to do something. .
“They are [the Koi Pond] Lawrence has an open mind that likes to celebrate all types of music and creativity of some kind,” Wood said. “In some ways, it would be much harder to get the same community and the same celebration of creativity in places like The Replay Lounge or Granada or other traditional venues.”
To participate, musicians can directly message The Tollbooth, The Coy Pond, or Room 96 on Instagram with the band or DJ's name and genre of music, or approach them directly at a show.
If you are interested in attending an upcoming show at The Tollbooth or The Koi Pond, please send a direct message to the venue's Instagram account and include your address and parking instructions.