What You Got? Festival

D.I.Y. Olympia style

By Matt Driscoll on June 28, 2007

Of all the things about Olympia I like, from the bars, to the town’s walkability, to its politics, I’m always most amazed by the people. There’s a sense of community and ambition in Olympia, aided by the capital city’s relatively diminutive size, that’s unique — a vibe I’ve found nowhere else in my travels. D.I.Y. stands for Do-It-Yourself, and when so moved, that’s exactly what the people of Olympia do.

The fourth annual What You Got? Festival, happening Thursday, June 28 through Sunday, July 1, is a fine example. Over the course of four days, bands including Fitz of Depression, Old Time Relijun, Macklemore, Karl Blau, The Old Haunts, Laura Viers, Jason Webley, and The Pharmacy will do what they do best — all in the name of youth. In addition, there are plenty of younger bands involved, including Tacoma’s the Freakouts, who along with the aforementioned groups will lay it down at a number of venues around Olympia — from nightly performances at the Capitol Theatre to Manium, Arthouse, Sylvester Park, Café Vita, and Artisan’s Café. Throw in some youth-centric workshops presented by Olympia’s Freeschool and YaYa Media (among others), and you’ve got yourself one hell of an event.

For more information check out www.myspace.com/whatyougotfest.



[Downtown Olympia, June 28-July 1, www.olyfilm. org/whatyougot/2006]