The Cellar is a basement venue in Millersville that came out of the woodworks in August. My first weekend on campus I was able to go there and see Fuzztide Jones, Denver Pike, and Hometime. The organizers are incredibly nice people, who most likely go to Millersville. I texted them about a week before, introducing myself as a photographer entering the scene, and they invited me in with open arms.
The venue is characterized by its traditional outdoor basement entrance, which you will hit your head on if not careful. I spoke with them and they told me that they had set up the whole place that same day, reinforcing the plywood stage with rolls of toilet paper. There were pool noodles on the exposed pipes and a decent sound system installed, so they were ready for business. The iconic sign in the back was made by people at West Art, reading, “The Cellar.”
Many of my friends had never been to a small/local show before. They fell absolutely in love with the venue’s vibe there and the kindness they were shown. A big pull for the Cellar is also their price of $5-10, allowing anybody to come and experience the beauty of people supporting people.
The Cellar is a pillar of the local scene here in the Lancaster area. Although the main supporters and organizers are Closing Time Collective, it is incredibly promising to see younger students taking on the role. The community that Lancaster has built around music has provided me, an outsider, with tools to make space for myself as well as to help build this scene. I highly recommend, if you have not visited the Cellar, to do so before the end of spring semester. This basement cultivates an incredible space for making friends, both inside and outside of the F&M community.
Freshman Ramona Banos is the Photography Editor. Her Email is vbanos@fandm.edu.