Centered around Evergreen State College, an "experimental and non-traditional college" (no grades, no shoes, work-study), a vibrant indie music scene has been flourishing in this small Washington city for a few solid decades. Today, many of indie rock's most boisterous call Olympia their home.
In the early 1990s, Olympia, WA -- along with Washington, D.C. -- was the birthplace of the Riot Grrrl movement. Bikini Kill and Bratmobile, which both hailed from this green college town, headed off the movement and defined the Riot Grrrl musical style and feminist punk ethos. Around that movement, two important indie labels were founded -- Kill Rock Stars and K Records. Both had an incredible influence on American indie rock.
These days, Olympia is a hot-bed for hot young indie rock. Many bands that begin in Olympia, attending Evergreen or just soaking up its creative college culture, later migrate to the Portland, OR or Seattle scenes -- some, like Death Cab For Cutie and Sleater-Kinney -- have gone on to much greater indie fame.
- In the early 1990s, Kurt Cobain frequented the town and befriended Calvin Johnson, founder of K Records.
- John Wozniak of Marcy Playground lived in Olympia while attending The Evergreen State College in the mid-1990s (or so says Wikipedia...)
- Olympia is the capitol of the state of Washington. (And it's population is 42,514.)