Welcome to The Riot Pit!

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The old El 'n' Gee, where so much of the story began.

Culture isn’t something we just consume. It’s something we build together, and in the act of building it, we create community.

My roots in the counterculture scene punk, hardcore, and ska. go back to the city of New London, at the old El ’n’ Gee. The crowds were wild and full of youthful angst: punks, ska kids, and skins (the good kind) from all over Connecticut and southern New England. We took pride in what we had and in each other. For many of us, it was more than music. It was second families, friendships that shaped us, and bonds we’ll carry for life.

The Hemlock Mouth Collective grew out of the simple belief that culture and community are inseparable. It isn’t a brand or a company. It is a living, breathing effort to carve out space for the creatives coming out of Southern New England. Born from late night conversations about the stories of our youth and the importance of having a space that is real and open, we decided to create our own.

We’ve seen clubs, venues, and DIY spaces come and go. No matter how many times we said the scenes were fractured, they may have diminished at times, but they never went away. Artists, musicians, zinesters, promoters, and organizers are still creating, still pushing forward even when the spotlight isn’t on them. What has been missing is a place to bring that energy together and shine a light on it.

That is where Hemlock Mouth Collective comes in. This collective exists to highlight the people who keep the culture alive, the ones writing, printing, playing, and building from the ground up. It is about making sure their work does not just exist in the shadows, but has a platform, an audience, and a community to back it.

HMC show and zine release, June 2025.

We started with shows and a resource table. Then we put out a feminist zine. Now we are launching the website, and with it comes The Riot Pit. It is a platform to highlight artists, zinesters, events, and interviews giving voice to the people who keep our culture alive, especially those who align with our values of inclusivity, DIY spirit, and community care pushing it forward.

If what we are building speaks to you, be part of it. Explore the new site, check out future posts in the Riot Pit, share your art, your zines, your music, and your stories. Show up at the shows, bring a friend or volunteer. This collective only grows stronger when more voices join in, and there's always room at the table.

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