On Tuesday, Dec. 10, the Communion tour is set to visit Bloomington again, serving its audience a diverse mix of local acts as well as the Communion national act Rosco Bandana.
Communion made its first mark on the Bloomington music scene last month, playing a show at the Bluebird that energized the audience on a cold, November night. This month, the Communion tour, founded by Mumford and Son's Ben Lovett, hopes to recreate the energy and excitement for the second show in its monthly series.
That does not seem like something hard to do, considering the bands that Lovett has selected for the show, dubbed "The Christmas Special," all possess the ability hypnotize the audience into a dancing fury with their high-energy music.
Pretty Boy Freud will open the show at 9 p.m. If the name sounds familiar, it's probably because you have heard them before. A staple at house shows and local music festivals and events, the Bloomington band consists of Evan Munz on the guitar/vocals, Joe Romwber on the bass and Erich Hils on the drums. Playing a unique mix of electronic rock, it's impossible not to want to dance while listening to them, making them the ideal band to open the show.
Another local band, The Stills, is slotted to take the stage at 10 p.m. Formerly called Keeping Cars, the IU grads moved to Chicago to immerse themselves in the music scene. Despite changing their name and location, The Stills have kept their indie-rock sound and will surely keep the audience on their feet throughout the set.
Rosco Bandana is part of Communion's national tour, bringing their blend of southern-inspired folk music across the country and to the Bluebird at 11 p.m. The seven-person band bring obvious energy to the stage with their banjos, mandolins and the sweet combination of raspy male vocals and melodic female vocals. Hailing from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, their southern roots are evident in their style of southern rock, popularized by Kings of Leon, however with Rosco Bandana, the sound seems more authentic and genuine. The folk influences, especially with the banjo, add another dimension to the band and their incredible energy will set the stage for Communion show to come.
Bloomington's blues band, Charlie Patton's War is set to play their blues-rock fusion music at midnight, a surefire way to make sure that despite hoarse voices and tired feet, the party will not end. The band, formed in 2010, has a similar sound to The Black Keys, however, they definitely also borrow heavily from soul music which gives the band their unique sound and has led the way for them becoming one of Bloomington's best known bands. In fact, last winter, WIUX produced a live recording of the band at the Blackbox concert.
Since the show is at the Bluebird, it is 21+. Doors open at 8 p.m. and admission is free until 9 p.m., costing concert-goers $5 after then. Be sure to wear your ugliest Christmas sweater because prizes will be given out to the ugliest and hippest sweaters in the crowd.
The high-energy acts combined with letting go of the pre-exam week stress is the perfect equation for an unforgettable show.
