Students might not realize it, but there’s a killer underground music scene right here under their noses, sitting next to you in class and taking the stage tonight. It’s generally assumed that colleges in big cities garner healthy communities of musicians and music biz kids, so locals can sink their teeth into the double-decker bacon cheeseburger of the Tulane music talent.

Chinquapin Records is a good place to start. The epitome of a do-it-yourself record label, its tagline is “Friends Sharing Friends, Music, and Friends’ Music,” which pretty much sums up its ethos. Started by the gentlemen from hazy indie rock band Sun Hotel and noise-punk duo Caddywhompus several years ago, Chinquapin has been going strong ever since. During the course of its existence, Chinquapin has added, both officially and unofficially, several great acts to its roster. These include dreamy folksters Native America, which began as the dormroom brainchild of Sun Hotel’s drummer, Loyola senior Ross Farbe, but has since evolved into a fully-formed band. Another group on the official roster is the astral shoegaze pop of Glish. Also affiliated with the label is the moshable math-folk of Habitat and the ’90s emo throwback punk of Donovan Wolfington. If you read “Chinquapin Records Presents…” at the top of a show poster or see their red and white lifesaver logo on the back of a record, you should probably go to that show or buy that record. Ideally, you’ll be buying that record at the show.

Another main member of the college music scene are Coyotes. Lineup changes, inter-band brawls and Bible Belt tours have weathered their hodge-podge group of dusty players into a genuinely cohesive band. Experience leads to great songs, a fact that is irrefutable when listening to the their spacey, whiskey-soaked rock music. If listeners start to ask around, it seems like at one point or another just about everyone has played in Coyotes, including Tulane architecture student Jake McGregor, who now fronts the high-energy Americana outfit Gold and the Rush. Coyotes bass powerhouse Christian Baraks is a Loyola sophomore who also plays in the aforementioned Donovan Wolfington. In addition, Baraks plays drums for the poignant Texas rock and roll band ArchAnimals, which is fronted by Tulane junior Dennis Sager.

Loyola sophomore Adam Stewart produced the first track on Coyotes’ recent debut release. He also fronts his own “poser-rock” band Aerial Attack – whose American Airlines-esque yellow stickers can now be found all over campus – and has produced live hip-hop all-stars Crooked Culture and funk figureheads Naughty Professor. In addition, Stewart produces tracks for the rap trio Chilldren. All of this music can be found on Collected Records.

This summary just scratches the surface. A developed music scene is the perfect parallel to an exceptional college experience, and there’s already one out there waiting for you. Go carve out your own place in it.