Tag: Clue

PLAYING BLOOMINGTON: Live Music Highlights from July

Rarely a night goes by in Bloomington without locals filling the basements of show-houses, bobbing their heads to punk, garage, and grunge riffs. Once a month, Rebecca recounts some of the live music highlights from the previous four weeks. Read and listen below for a bevy of Bloomington bands that should be on your radar.

(7/29) Wife Patrol, Solid State Physics @ The Blockhouse

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Wife Patrol

“We need to see more girls onstage,” Wife Patrol bassist Nicole announced to the audience about halfway through their Blockhouse set last Saturday night. “And people need to get used to it,” she added, before diving into another grunge-heavy number alongside bandmates Natasha (drums) and Greg (guitar, vocals). Indianapolis-based trio Wife Patrol delivered an energetic performance of their original tracks –  an eclectic amalgamation of grunge, punk, metal, and pop – with some favorite new wave covers. Before they hit the stage, locals Justin Meier, Constance Marguerite, and Michael Pruitt of Solid State Physics opened up the night’s entertainment on a similarly energetic note. Their tight instrumentals and emblazoned vocals were made all the more impressive as the group played round robin with their instruments, shifting every few songs to present a new arrangement of guitar, bass, drums, and vocals.

(7/27) Post Pink, Big Hush, Ray Creature, Manneqin @ Jan’s Rooms

An impressive crowd came out for one of the last shows at Jan’s Rooms, a popular house show venue that has seen a number of acts come through its basement during its tenure in Bloomington. Local synth punk trio Manneqin opened the night before the touring acts followed. By the time I arrived at Jan’s Rooms, D.C. based quartet Big Hush was gearing up for their performance. Bandmates Genevieve Ludwig, Owan Wuerker, Chris Taylor, and Emma Baker dished out fuzzy and distorted guitar riffs atop multilayered vocals to the pleasure of all of the brave souls that packed into the hot and cramped basement on this especially humid Bloomington summer night.  Big Hush was followed by their tour mates, Post Pink, a pop-infused hardcore punk band out of Baltimore.


(7/22) Dasher, Skull Cult, Dove, Clue (Dasher Album Release Party) @ the Blockhouse 

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Dasher

 

 

It seemed like the whole town showed up for this especially stacked lineup in celebration of Sodium, Dasher’s debut full length album. Sodium, which has been in the works for at least a few years now, represents the culmination of drummer/vocalist Kylee Kimbrough’s creative pursuits as she moved from Georgia, Atlanta to Bloomington, Indiana. Kimbrough, along with bassist Gary Magilla and guitarist Derek McCain, brought a fresh intensity to their blend of post-punk and hardcore set, a foundation that had already been laid by the night’s supporting acts.      

(7/22) Her Again @ the Dream

Those who weren’t in the basement of popular house venue the Dream last Saturday night missed the first and last summer show of Her Again, a Bloomington based trio consisting of Claudia Ferne on the guitar, Jordan Gomes-Kuehner on the drums, and Megan Searl on the bass. It’s a shame too, because Her Again’s infusion of punk, doo-wop, surf rock, and twee into pop song structures pairs perfectly with the long summer months. Her Again closed down the live acts of the night after Kevin Krauter, Older Brother, and Wet Mut previously took the stage.

(7/17) Sad Baxter, The By Gods, Fresh Kill @ the Blockhouse

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Sad Baxter

Jess and Emma of Fresh Kill opened the night with another airtight set comprised of graceful harmonies and cleanly sung vocals that bite with a vaguely autobiographical ferocity. As one of the brand new bands on the Bloomington punk scene, the duo has played a string of shows around town this summer and have been hinting at some new recordings in the near future. Sandwiched in the middle of the set were two Nashville-based bands, Sad Baxter and the By Gods. The By Gods (Natalie Pauley, Tye Hammonds and George Pauley) were the first to perform, dishing up some retro garage band entertainment.  Lastly, Alex and Deezy of Sad Baxter delivered an infectiously danceable pop sludge and grunge fueled performance.

(7/13) Sleeping Bag, Fresh Kill, & Cliffs @ the Bishop 

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Sleeping Bag

Dave Segedy, Peter Doyle, and Nick Harley of Bloomington based trio Sleeping Bag dub their music “nowtro.” That is, Sleeping Bag draws heavily from a combination of 90’s grunge, emo, and indie, but provides twists and turns to propel their sound into the 21st century. Their performance at the Bishop this summer night was saturated with tight instrumentals and a relaxed atmosphere that had been established by the night’s supporting acts, Fresh Kill and Cliffs.  

(7/6) The Cowboys @ the Blockhouse  

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The Cowboys

Local rockers the Cowboys are quickly becoming a favorite on the Bloomington show circuit. And for good reason, too. Their trio, which consists of March McWhirter (guitar), Zackery Worcel, (bass/vocals), Jordan Tarantino (drums), and Keith Harman (vocals) is dripping with a casual charisma that is worth the live experience. The Cowboys’ relaxed yet upbeat poppy melodies paired with tight instrumentals has come to define their sound, which was in full effect this summer night at the Blockhouse.

(7/4) Byrne Bridges, The Katatonics, and Franknfuker @ the Backdoor

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Franknfuker

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Katatonics

This Fourth of July, I decided to escape the fireworks, parades, and cookouts for a night of punk music at the Backdoor, a local performance venue, dance club, and bar that provides a safe space for members of the LGTBQ+ community and allies. Byrne Bridges was the first act to perform, opening the set with “glam-ish solo pop through a queer/trans/radical perspective.” In what ended up being the most interactive and cathartic act of the night, Byrne Bridges implored the audience to interject with things that they are sorry about during a song that was all about asking for apologies. The Katatonics, a local punk surfabilly band, was the second act to perform. Utilizing some classic surf rock techniques – a heavily defined stand up bass line, lightning fast twists, and constant guitar temolo – one could (almost) forget that Bloomington is about as landlocked as you can get in the US. Elijah Frank (piano, synth, vocals), Davey Watson (guitar), Tristin Holiday (guitar) and Jeremy Johnson (drums) of Franknfuker, a local glamboyant experimental punk outfit, was the final act of the night. Franknfuker, who performed on a stage decked out with skulls covered in glitter and feathers, honed in on an aesthetic that married the visual and sonic components of their performance.   

(6/30) No-Men and Buttzz @ the Blockhouse

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No-Men

Chicago-based noise rock group No-Men stopped by the Blockhouse to play a late set alongside local rockers, Buttzz.  No-Men is Pursley (drums and vocals), DB (guitar), and Eric (drums). As one would expect of a band that is two-thirds drummers, No-Men was loud and intensely percussive. While sloshy drum grooves, hyperfast fills, and interlocking polyrhythms were certainly set highlights, No-Men is much more than just a one-trick-pony. Pursley delivered an engrossingly gloomy yet energetic vocal and stage performance in between explosive drum instrumentals. Meanwhile, DB and Eric tore into their respective instruments, never missing a beat.

Buttzz finished the night in a celebratory fashion with their signature combination of garage rock and surf punk. Charmingly retro emo vocals, shredding guitars, and speedy drums competed with each other as the audience bopped awkwardly to the music. It was a punk rock hootenanny. The band’s second album release, Summer Luvin, is available for streaming via Bandcamp.

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PLAYING BLOOMINGTON: Jessie Grubb & Bethany Lumsdaine of Shut Up and Listen

Shut up and Listen is a serial zine based out of Bloomington, Indiana that focuses on the (mostly local) underground music scene. Jessie Grubb and Bethany Lumsdaine are the creative partners and best friends behind the zine and radio show under the same name. Grubb and Lumsdaine have been self publishing and distributing Shut up and Listen almost monthly since October, cobbling together an eclectic mix of reflections on the local scene, interviews with touring and local artists, music recommendations, and event information that have been thoughtfully curated and compellingly written. Each issue of Shut up and Listen features bright and colorful cover designs and artist illustrations that both stand out on their own and solidify a cohesive aesthetic across all six (and growing) issues. Last week, I got the chance to chat with Jessie Grubb and Bethany Lumsdaine. We talked music, the local scene, and the future of Shut up and Listen.  

While Shut up and Listen officially began its run in Fall 2016 as Grubb and Lumsdaine’s WIUX radio show, their creative partnership goes back much earlier. The two have been interviewing local musicians since they met in high school, working predominantly with WFHB, the local radio station that runs teen radio hours every Saturday evening from 6pm-10pm, and Rhino’s Youth Center, which operates a youth podcast afterschool program on Thursdays. Since high school, Grubb and Lumsdaine have been involved in multiple creative pursuits. Jessie taught herself design through her participation in yearbook and newspaper in high school and now performs in the local synth-punk band, Clue. Bethany, who made her first zine in high school, was a printmaking major in the Fine Arts program before switching over to Journalism. Because of their like-minded creative proclivities, a partnership naturally followed shortly after meeting each other. They crafted the first time they hung out, a tradition that they have maintained over the years. The two even admitted that it is sometimes difficult to hang out without reverting to discussing their various work-related projects.

Grubb and Lumsdaine started to regularly attend shows together when Lumsdaine began studying at Indiana University and Grubb was finishing up in high school. They attended their first house show together on July 4, 2014 at the Dream (then known as Cram). As Grubb and Lumsdaine reminisced, they revealed some interesting insights about the Bloomington house show scene. According to Lumsdaine, “people really come out to house shows compared to venue shows here, but it can be really unwelcoming if you are not used to it or if you are going alone. It can be really intimidating.” There’s no doubt that walking into a stranger’s house is nerve-wracking, but she offers encouragement, too: “I started going to house shows in my freshman year and I just went alone – I went to every show that I could find out about.”

As Grubb noted, “There’s definitely a closeness because Bloomington’s pretty small and the music scene is even smaller.” Once one gets their bearings in the tight-knit scene, shows are easier to find out about and become more comfortable to attend. Unlike larger scenes, Bloomington house shows tend to advertise their addresses publicly. Shows are also advertised via public Facebook groups such as “The Bloomington House Show Network” and “Let’s Go! Bloomington Punk Shows!”

After getting past any initial awkwardness of navigating the punk scene, Lumsdaine and Grubb admitted that they prefer house shows over venues. “People here are excited to see the music,” Lumsdaine explained. “The biggest difference between the house show scene and a venue is that at a house show no one is talking during the band. It is rude if you are in the basement and talking during the show. That is a thing that I really appreciate – that’s what I go to shows for, the music. The fact that everyone else there is as excited and interested as I am is really nice.” House shows are also available to people of all ages, whereas most of the downtown venues are 21+.   

Lumsdaine and Grubb revealed that adapting their radio show into a zine was a natural move. The zine permanently documents their radio show work, which is only temporarily accessible via live listening. While zines had been on their radar for a while, the two didn’t feel as if they had enough of a focused topic to run with it until Shut Up and Listen came along. Both Grubb and Lumsdaine affirmed that Shut up and Listen gave them a path that allowed them to carve out a niche for themselves in the Bloomington music scene. “I feel like i have a lot more purpose at the shows and more of a reason to go talk to people,” Grubb admitted. “It is easier to talk to people because I do this zine.”

When I asked the duo to describe what Shut Up and Listen is all about in their own words, Grubb replied, “Shut Up and Listen is all about giving a voice to underrepresented musicians and artists.” Without missing a beat, Lumsdaine added, “creating a platform where they can be taken seriously.” According to them, these underrepresented groups include women, minority groups and gender nonconforming people. Underrepresented also refers to underground. Lumsdaine and Grubb make a point to feature rising artists who have typically gotten very little exposure and media coverage. Their goal is to find these artists and use the platform that Shut Up and Listen provides to elevate and support them.

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Bethany Lumsdaine (left) and Jessie Grubb (right)

Both have strong reasons for supporting local and underrepresented artists. Through their work, they are hoping to create a more inclusive and diverse local music scene. As Lumsdaine explains, “I think it’s important to see people like yourself on stage. It’s important to book shows that have a variety of people on them, not just one kind. I know I’ve been really inspired by seeing a woman do something that I only ever dreamed of because it seems a lot more possible. I remember the first time I saw a female-fronted hardcore band, and I was like, this is amazing, I could do that too… A ton of the women we interviewed, they started because they saw another woman in a band, and they wanted to be like that, or they realized that they could do it then. Representation shows people that it’s possible.”

Within a larger system that encourages women to tear each other down, Grubb and Lumsdaine have been working together to create a collaborative project that elevates them both. Together, the two of them research, plan, interview, attend shows, and write. They divvy up the writing and trade off on illustrations and cover art, but they make a point to avoid crediting each piece individually. Grubb explained, “There’s only two of us. It’s by one of us, it doesn’t really matter.” Lumsdaine agreed. “If somebody is like, ‘I love this article,’ it doesn’t matter. It’s a whole thing.” If my interview with Jessie Grubb and Bethany Lumsdaine has taught me one thing, it is that beautiful things can happen when your best friend is also your creative partner.  

After taking a short break to pursue other creative opportunities (writing pieces for Tom Tom Magazine, playing shows, and collaborating with local artist Amy O on her upcoming zine, Yoko Oh Yes, Lumsdaine and Grubb will be back with a summer issue of Shut Up and Listen this August.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

PLAYING BLOOMINGTON: Live Music Highlights from June

(June 24) Jacky Boy @ the Void

Bloomington locals Mark, Stone, and Steve constitute the trio of secular rockers known as Jacky Boy that opened up the night at Punks Give Back #4. Punks Give Back! Bloomington is a local branch of Punks Give Back!, a national, not-for-profit organization that supports local artists and organizers to raise money for local nonprofit organizations. Punks Give Back! Bloomington organizes a monthly event with music and poetry in order to channel funds into various organizations that support local underserved and underprivileged populations.

Punks Give Back #4 raised funds for Exodus Refugee Immigration, an organization based out of Indianapolis that makes it its mission to “serve the resettlement needs of refugees and other displaced people fleeing persecution, injustice, and war by welcoming them to Indiana.” Although they admitted that this was their first show in over three months (which I guess is a while for the band), Jacky Boy delivered their trademark grungy dream pop sound: jangly and distorted guitar effects, infectious hooks, and saccharine vocals.

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Jessie, and Ian, and Nia of Clue

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Jennie Williams

(June 22) The Bishop Presents: Fresh Kill: with Clue, Oscilla, Jennie Williams, Poems of T.K. Williams, Jasper Wirtshafter, and Alexandria Hollett.

This show, which featured the debut of new local group Fresh Kill, had an especially stacked supporting lineup of music (Jennie Williams, Clue, Oscilla) and poetry (T. K. Williams, Jasper Wirtshafter, and Alexandria Hollett). After three poetry sets opened the night, local singer-songwriter Jennie Williams grabbed the audience with raw and personal tunes sung in a rich tone that seamlessly shifted from one octave to the next. Following Williams was Clue, a three piece synth punk group comprised of Bloomington locals Jessie (synth and vocals), Nia (bass), and Ian (percussion). With a cool and deliberate energy, the bouncy, syncopated rhythms and Jessie’s half-sung vocal performance provided a lively counter to the other acts of the night. 

Headlining group Fresh Kill was the second-to-last band to perform. Fresh Kill is Emma, who sings and plays the drums, and Jess, who sings and plays guitar. Aside from occasional bursts of energetic instrumentals, their performance was minimal, which showcased the hauntingly personal nature of their lyrics. The audience was especially supportive for the debut of this band, who had family and friends in the audience for the special night. Lastly, Oscilla wrapped up the evening with ambient dance tunes that were as emotive as they were hypnotic.  

(6/21) Dream Probe, Livin’ Thing, Skull Cult, Doozie @ Kroger Castle

When I descended the stairs to the basement of the house venue Kroger Castle, Dream Probe had already started playing their set. Dream Probe is a Champaign-based hardcore punk band featuring Vince (guitar), Olguie (vocals, bass), and Tyler (Drums).  Dream Probe performed the songs off of their spring demo, bringing even more intensity and energy to their politically charged, anti-colonial, Spanish language punk. Although all of the instruments were turned up to max volume, Olguie’s powerful vocals managed to cut through the chaotic wall of noise.

Local punk group Skull Cult closed the night with another energetic punk set. Their sound contains elements of new wave, synth punk and hardcore but is difficult to define and characterize. Luckily, it seems like Skull Cult is more interested in creating an environment that is both boisterous and merry than in defining their sound. While their performance was abrupt, it was packed with turbulent music and uninhibited dancing.   

(6/21)  Jordan Victoria @ the Blockhouse

“This is my first time playing the guitar in public,” admitted Jordan Victoria, the drummer of Her Again, about halfway through her opening set at the Blockhouse. While her nerves may have been apparent when it was time to address the audience between songs, her vulnerability paired well with the intimate and autobiographical nature of her music. As Victoria’s subtle vibrato coaxed the lone meandering electric guitar through rises and falls in intensity, it felt less like a performance than a gathering among friends.

 

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PLAYING BLOOMINGTON: Femme Night @ The Dream

The Bloomington house show network is comprised of dozens of privately owned and rented houses that are scattered across town. On any given night, students and other young adults freely filter in and out of these spaces, packing themselves into hot, stuffy, unfinished basements in order to socialize with friends and listen to a mix of local and touring acts. Somewhere between a house party and a concert, house shows are at the heart of Bloomington’s D.I.Y. music culture. While some house shows are one-off events, most houses have established names and host shows semi-regularly. For the well-established houses, the house’s life as a venue often long outlives any one tenant’s residency. Though these events are open to the public, one must seek them out in order to find them. Facebook events, paper fliers, and word of mouth are the most common vehicles for advertisement. Last Tuesday, I went to The Dream – a house located just south of downtown – to catch Femme Night, featuring Clue, Bad Psychic, Lily on Horn Horse, and Spacer.

With a few friends in tow, I arrived at The Dream about halfway through Clue’s set. Unfortunately, by the time I made it down to the basement, Clue had finished their short opening performance. Bummed that I missed out on what was billed to be ethereal space punk, I found consolation in the fact that I would be catching this Bloomington band at The Bishop in a few weeks. I took the extra time as a chance to get out of the stagnant heat of a packed basement and explore the venue. The Dream, much like other house show venues that I’ve been to, is like two completely different places above and below ground. Upstairs, the place has an aesthetic that calls to mind any other student house I’ve been to: mismatched dusty old couches, dirty dishes in the sink, and shelves filled with peculiar knickknacks. Downstairs, an obvious effort had been put into transforming an unfinished basement into a D.I.Y. music venue. Towards the far end of the basement, a stage was clearly demarcated with a maroon curtain framing the backdrop, a carpet on the floor, and shiny plastic party streamers hanging from the ceiling. Some mismatched chairs were set up against the perimeter of the basement. To the left of the stage, a table displayed an assortment of band merch and Shut Up And Listen zines. An ineffectual room fan was installed at the center of the basement.

While outside for a cigarette break, Spacer’s frontwoman Hannah Hadley peeked her head outside to announce that the next act was about to begin. Bad Psychic is the experimental goth synth pop project of Bloomington resident Liv Mershon. Dressed in tight pants, a jacket, scarf, sunglasses, and hat, I was amazed that she did not pass out from the heat, but beyond that, I was immediately taken by Mershon’s live presence. The multi-media artist energetically strutted around the stage with complete control. As haunting and repetitive beats hypnotized the audience into a swaying submission, Mershon delivered eerie vocal affects and impressive soprano runs. Bad Psychic’s EP, Threee, is available for streaming via Bandcamp.

My personal favorite act of the night was the touring duo, Lily on Horn Horse. Based out of New York, Lily on Horn Horse is the collaborative project of Lily Konisberg and Matt Norman. Together, these two released an eclectic, 28-track album that showcases their collective creative range. While their body of work is too diverse to draw generalizations, the duo’s vocals – Konisberg’s airy pop soprano and Norman’s flawed yet personal baritone – and Norman’s whimsically enchanting horn accompaniment, provide the foundation to their sound. Their songs are quick and punchy. Their music is sometimes jazzy, sometimes poppy, with elements of disco, electronic, and indie music thrown in. During their performance, these seemingly disparate elements were brought to life and amplified in the basement of The Dream. As Konisberg and Norman took turns sauntering into the crowd and interpretive dancing with their instruments, the two seemed determined to start a dance party. And it worked. The weirder the performance got onstage, the freer it seemed the audience got with their own limb usage.

As the event’s de facto host, Spacer was the last band to perform. Spacer is a three-part synth punk group that consists of Hannah Hadley (vocals, vox and synth), Olivia Graham (bass), and Connor Martin (drums). Already a well-established favorite within the local scene, the crowd bobbed around expectantly to favorites, like “Bullet” and “Sore Loser.” These three seemed quite comfortable on stage, delivering the standard that Spacer fans have come to expect: Hadley’s impressive vocal performance, raw and choppy compositions, and danceable, bouncy new wave rhythms.


Spacer’s performance was Hadley’s victory lap after a successful night. Throughout the event, she could be seen working the sound system, making announcements about the lineup, collecting suggested donations for the touring band, and informing people around the house when the music was about to start up. She even made banana bread for the guests. Because the existence of house show venues makes event planning both doable and informal, the local D.I.Y scene relies heavily on the efforts of the individuals who keeps events like these going year-round.