“And when you’re out there without care // Yeah, I was out of touch // But it wasn’t because I didn’t know enough // I just knew too much” – “Crazy,” Gnarls Barkley

We’re supposed to be nearing the summer of 2025, but you’ll never catch me there. Where I’m at, it could be 2008, 1999, or even 1987– though it depends on the night, the music, and whatever weathered-down building I find myself in.

You might find me packed like a sardine next to some sweaty crust punks and vicious two-steppers in a little old pizza restaurant in the West End of Hartford.

Or in the corner of an old laundry factory, bobbing my head to acoustics way too big for such a small space. If I’m lucky, I’ve squeezed into some dive bar, somewhere, to catch the last set of the night.

You might find me covered in glitter, or eyeliner so heavy I might be mistaken for a raccoon.

But wherever, whenever I am, the point is: I’m surrounded by misfits, mainstream expats, iconoclasts. A community of freaks and geeks who don’t like to march in line– but here, our hearts and feet all beat to the same rhythm in the room.

This is the CT underground.

One of the linchpins in this community is South Whitney Pizza & Bar, located at 264 South Whitney Street in Hartford. At first glance, it’s like any other local pizza joint, but if you step in on the right night, you’ll find a sweat-drenched refuge of sound.

Here, the walls tremble with everything from hard-core emo to metal, noise rock, and even acoustic sets that still manage to fill the room with boiling energy. It’s one of those places where the stage doesn’t exist, and the band is close enough to scream right in your face.

More often than not, it’s the same familiar faces in the room, friends, regulars, and fans who make up the spine of the scene.

Chloe Honda is the lead of Cvmrats [comrades, get it], a folk punk cabaret and a staple of the area.

“There’s a lot of really good bands, and a lot of really talented people, and a lot of really beautiful moments that have come out of [this space],” they said.

Cafe Nine in New Haven has a similar pulse. From pop punk to jazz, hip hop to indie, it’s the kind of place where any night can surprise you. The tiny stage in the corner has hosted legends and locals alike, and when it’s not live bands shaking the walls, it’s DJ nights and club events that pull the crowds in.

One of its most esoteric recurring events is Sanctuary, a goth and darkwave club night that’s become a cornerstone for Connecticut’s alternative community.

Eric Z.H., lead promoter and organizer for Sanctuary CT, describes the event as more than just a night out.

“The community is important to me because becoming a part of it when I was younger was the first time I ever genuinely felt like I fit in somewhere,” he said.

Whether it’s through the pounding bass, fog machine haze, or the sense of radical self-expression that radiates off the dance floor, Sanctuary is more than just a party– it’s a lifeline for those of us who don’t fit the status-quo.

To learn more about the bands and locations visit Instagram, @southwhitneypizzadiy, @cafenine, @sanctuaryct and @cvmrats.