Matt Harmon has a lot on his plate. The 25-year-old DIY musician and concert organizer is the bassist in mathy screamo quintet Suffix and plays guitar and sings for a punk trio called Cloud Mouth, which is about to drop a new six-song 12-inch, That Ghost Is Always With Me (Ice Age), and on July 2 will embark on a monthlong tour of the eastern U.S. He and his younger brother John, who plays bass in Cloud Mouth, also run a newish Logan Square venue called Strangelight, which will host an ambitious indie record fair this Saturday, June 26, featuring more than 40 midwestern labels, crafters, and zine makers.

via Making Friends and Losing Money | Music Feature | Chicago Reader.

I’d previously written about Matt and John Harmon and their venue, Strangelight. But, there was always more to say about the Harmons, and thank goodness that the folks at the Chicago Reader thought so, too. They let me run with this piece. Of course, a big thanks goes out to the Harmon brothers for letting me bother them at work, home and at any time of day. They really do care about the work they do, and Strangelight is all the better for it. Extra props to Ryan Durkin at Hewhocorrupts Inc. Records, Algernon Cadwallader bassist and singer Peter Helmis, Lautrec bassist Hannah Rosner, and anyone and everyone who attended a Strangelight show and have helped make that place special.

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Normally, I’m not one for self-promoting on my blog here, but I can’t help but get this story out there. As a friend who organizes DIY shows in Boston posted on my Facebook wall said: “This community has gone horribly under-appreciated for many years.” And that can be said for the DIY and all-ages community country-wide, not just in Chicago.

Growing up in the DC Metro area spoiled me. The very moment I wanted to see a concert by a band I loved, I was able to go. For the most part, I never had to worry about age restrictions holding me back from seeing a musician or act. It wasn’t until I moved to the Boston area that I understood how lucky I was being able to see bands I enjoyed as a teen, and how thoroughly odd it is that there are roadblocks for kids who want to see music in so many cities across the country.

I’ve got to say thanks to everyone I interviewed for this piece. Without them, I couldn’t have put together the article. So, thank you Kevin from the All-ages Movement Project, Todd P., Matt from Schubas, Jim Grimes, Efrat from Chicago’s Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Department and Ian MacKaye.

Most of all, I’d like to thank the people who opened their basements and living rooms to me (and countless strangers) and allowed me to document what happened there. So, to Jason at Enemy, Christine at Ottoman Empire and, most of all, Matt (and co.) at Strangelight, thank you.

Here’s a little clip of a performance by Algernon Cadwallader at Strangelight before I began to work on this piece. Enjoy:

[vimeovid id="9261206"]

Some Kind of Merchandiser from Leor Galil on Vimeo.

“Merchandise, it keeps us alive,” Fugazi proclaimed on their song “Merchandise.” Though the D.C. punk act saw merch as a distraction, many Do It Yourself punk acts use money from selling records and clothing to survive as a band.

When Philadelphia’s Algernon Cadwallader played Strangelight – a new Chicago DIY venue – on Friday, Feb. 5, singer/bassist Peter Helmis took some time to discuss the process of creating and selling merchandise. Peter highlighted an important attribute of creating one’s own records and merchandise that many artists are beginning to take advantage of in the digital era:

It’s really helpful, if you’re a band that’s playing lots of shows, to have a bunch of your records. If someone else puts it out, they’ll give you a bunch of free ones to start out with, then you have to buy them from the label whenever you need them. If you put it out yourself, it’s more money up front, but you have like 1,000 records at your disposal whenever you want. You don’t have to buy them again, you just sell them, have them whenever you go out.

As the band saves money by putting out its own records (Algernon’s DIY label is called Be Happy Records) and bringing their merch on tour, fans have the chance of saving money as well. Buying a record at a concert is usually cheaper than ordering it online or through a mail order, and often some of the merchandise isn’t available online. Three items onsale at the concert – the 75:24 tape, the Fun 7″ record and the tour T-shirt – are either sold out online or not available elsewhere. The group’s CD – Some Kind of Cadwallader – cost $6 at the concert and costs upwards of $8 online (plus shipping and handling).

Like a lot of DIY punk bands, Algernon Cadwallader isn’t getting rich and famous from its merchandise or playing concerts. As Peter said:

It’s anything but full-time, but it’s definitely a full-time hobby. It’s our passion.

To get a glimpse of Algernon Cadwallader’s Friday night performance, take a look at the video below:

Algernon Cadwallader – “Some Kind of Cadwallader” from Leor Galil on Vimeo.