GUEST BLOG - Introducing Cesspool, a new DIY spot
by Winnie
House shows are a critical part of any DIY scene. Unfortunately, Wichita has been without a steady house show spot for a over a year, that is, until Cesspool came around. Like any DIY spot, it has its own idiosyncrasies. The prominent visual identity and the ticket are two notable traits. Rather than trying to explain the vibe that Cesspool is trying to achieve, I invited Winnie, owner / operator to introduce herself, the space, and give the low down.
The CR blog welcomes Winnie in our first guest blog!
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What is Cesspool?
Cesspool is a local only house venue owned and operated by Winnie(ME!), with artistic contributions from my roommate Lily, who often runs the door at The Furnace, and my good friend Izzy from the bands Kurbstompt and Mega Scoliosis.
Cesspool is a "hardcore space" in the sense that it's all about expression, social awareness, and being angry / passionate about important shit. It's about pushing for what you believe in, being creative, and diving in head first when you really want to do something.
Why I started Cesspool
Cesspool started off as a simple idea between both me and Lily.
"Now that we have our own place, with the space to host bands, we should do a few shows"
Over the years talking to bands and people that come through The Furnace, I've heard expressed from both bands and show-goers a desire for house shows. A lot of those conversations boiled down to, "I can't give my space and no one else wants to, so it just doesn't happen as often as I'd like."" I had also talked to a lot of people who reminisced about some of the bigger local house venues shut down recently.
Thanks to Ethan and The Lumberyard, I'm able to borrow equipment, and learn from the best on how to run a show. So far, it's something I absolutely love!
Cesspool is an outlet for me creatively. I get to create flyers, tickets, photo albums, and so much more while collaborating with local artists and photographers. I love the planning and coordination that come along with it too. I also get to know people in the scene better, talk to people about music, why they make music, and what they love about it. It's all been a big learning experience for me, but I am so grateful to have this huge opportunity to do so.
What's with the tickets? How do I get in?
Cesspool is not some all-exclusive club, I don't outright pick and choose who comes and who doesn't, even though it may come off that way The main reason I do tickets, other than the fact I just enjoy the process of making them, is because we rent, and it's a small place. We physically don't have the capacity for a large amount of people inside. Our landlord has been very considerate and helpful when it comes to allowing us to have shows, and we want to respect that. We also cannot afford any damage, or to have our things stolen. Me and Lily care very, very much about our home and it means a lot to us to open it up to you guys.
Tickets are given to the bands playing, buddies and pals of me and Lily etc, but how can YOU get a ticket?
It's pretty simple. When I have a show coming up and I've made my ticket batch, I go to local shows and look at who is involved in the scene: who are the creatives, who is moshing, who is coming to shows even when there's only like 10-20 people there, who is showing up early or staying late to help out. If you have a real conversation with me, genuinely care about the music and the scene, are having a good time, just being yourself or any other number of things, it's very likely I will give you a ticket or one of the bands will give you one for coming to their shows and supporting them.
If I missed handing you an invite, it's not personal, I'm only human and I try my best to catch everyone I see. If you really want to come to a show and I haven't given you an invite yet, come talk to me about it! I promise I'm not scary :)
What's the plan for Cesspool's future?
My goal with focusing on local & newer project bands in Wichita is not only to give them a fun space to play, but to get them paid when they might not always get paid on a bill with a touring band. I want to encourage people to just put themselves out there and make something
I would love for Cesspool to expand beyond what it is right now. All Cesspool is right now is a house venue, but I want to use the Cesspool name to curate pop-up shows at miscellaneous locations. Generator shows are a big one, and there's more than enough space in Kansas to pull it off. Cesspool is also an artist-creator space. I'm completely open to the idea of hosting a local artist market, commission artwork, have themed nights, open mic etc. Any ideas I overhear when it comes to new things in the scene I mentally jot down.
If you want to help out with Cesspool in any capacity and you feel like you have the passion, skills, or two hands to do so please contact me on the Cesspool instagram account or come talk to me in person and I will be more than happy to hear you out and support you.
-Winnie
BLOG 2026-07-29 JSIMP