Basements are sacred grounds for aspiring musicians. It’s where young artists can show off their talent right next to boxed Christmas decorations and long-forgotten treadmills. The foundation of local scenes owes everything to the hand-me-downs from DIY (do it yourself) venues of the past. For a lot of young kids it’s the first time they experience community through a shared passion.
In an unassuming old city house, the Crypt is a new hotspot for queer youth to fall into a local arts scene. Behind the operation is 22-year-old musician and community organizer Adelaide Light-White.
“There’s no venue in Milwaukee that specifically advertises itself as queer owned and queer friendly. When I book the shows at the Crypt, I make a very explicit effort to have bands that are fronted by women, femmes, queers, trans people and people of color,” said Light-White. “Milwaukee has a huge issue with not allowing bands made up of marginalized people to get the spotlight, and I really make that effort with The Crypt.”
Celebrate this year’s winners of the Betty Awards!
Carving out space for both locals and touring bands, the venue is a diverse musical home. In one night, concertgoers can experience experimental electronic, 90s throwback ska-punk and bone-chilling screamo in a sanctuary for punks from all walks of life.
The Crypt is a hardline sober venue and every show is open to all ages. No one is turned away from a lack of funds, and all proceeds go directly to the bands. Attendees are also offered harm-reduction and educational materials.
“I want 16 year olds going to their first ever show to come here and be safe,” said Light-White. “The Crypt is for them, there’s no spaces anymore that seek to protect and advocate for especially queer youth.”
Drawing from her own experiences as a young musician touring under her project Killer High Life, Light-White created The Crypt, to show off outsider art made by marginalized artists. Beyond the shows, The Crypt has become a networking center for the community. The space allows musicians to connect with each other, find photographers, graphic designers and more.
The venue is a testament against Wisconsin’s notorious drinking culture. Some house venues around the city tend to let underage drinking or drug use slip by. Beyond that, shows outside of DIY venues are typically held in bars and clubs, places that are age restricted and flooded with alcohol.
“The thing about the queer spaces that exist in Milwaukee is that almost all of them are a partying and drinking space. Which is great. I love nightclubs. I love queer party culture, but there’s a time and place,” explained Light-White. “I want the venue to be a venue. I want there to be queer spaces for gathering and community events. There’s nowhere like that right now. As someone who doesn’t drink. I see so many people trying to find a community getting lost in substance abuse.”
On show nights the atmosphere of the crowd is defined by a cathartic rage in the moshpit. Emos, punks, goths and furries assemble in a sanctuary where they can unapologetically be themselves with unconditional support from their community in a sober environment.
“We are a pro moshing, pro crowd killing venue, but we are not a pro assault, pro drunkenly raving around place,” remarked Light-White. “These elements of punk should be allowed to exist, but they can easily exist without alcohol.”
The events at the venue, booked under Light-White’s Drop Dead Booking, usher in a new wave of Milwaukee music, breaking through the mold of a white cis male status quo. Featured artists such as Courtesy Call, i h8 it here, _b4d_juju, and HOME☆GOING, reflect Light-White’s priority of booking femmes, queer, POC artists.
“It’s nice to see DIY spaces run by queer and trans folks popping up, as a trans person myself it is especially refreshing. With the way things are shifting in this country it’s hard to find a place that felt like a genuine refuge and I think The Crypt (and venues like it) are a sanctuary for queer artists,” remarked Robin Schueler, HOME☆GOING’s drummer, a trans-fronted emo pop project from Milwaukee.
The value of a queer-owned DIY space expands beyond the sweaty confines of the moshpit. The Crypt is a haven for those marginalized voices in the Milwaukee scene and pushes them to focus on the future.
“We cannot be complacent with our circumstances. We are being eroded of every right we have as a human being. We cannot sit here and sing emo songs about people we had crushes on when we were in high school anymore. We have to get real,” explained Light-White.
With booking wrapped up for the year, The Crypt hibernates for the winter. In their brief hiatus, Light-White hopes to expand their community outreach efforts, with potlucks, rummage sales and educational events.
