Get excited, y’all – Culture Shock 2025 is less than a week away! From 12-9pm on Saturday, April 12th, the 37th annual WIUX music festival will take place on IU’s own Dunn Meadow. We have a lot to look forward to during this year’s Culture Shock, including a fun Americana theme, food trucks, a DIY merch table, free admission (as always!), and of course, sets from some phenomenal artists.
In case you’ve missed it, the bands performing on April 12th are Full Body 2, Tobacco City, Sleeper’s Bell, Bats, Wind, and Mourning Star. The lineup this year represents 4 US states and a broad variety of genres and styles. If any of these names don’t ring a bell, we’ve put together some short artist profiles to help you get informed before Saturday.
Full Body 2
Philadelphia, PA
One of the most anticipated bands on the 2025 Culture Shock lineup is Philadelphia’s Full Body 2. The band is made up of Cassidy Rose Hammond, Dylan Vaisey, and Jack Chaffer, who have worked within a distinctive and captivating corner of shoegaze since 2020. Their sound and visual aesthetic are noisy, glitchy, and frantic, with distinct inspiration from shoegaze, drum and bass, and glitchy electronic pop. Their sound seriously has to be heard to be characterized in full. But, in drawing elements from such a wide variety of genres, Full Body 2 delivers a uniquely accessible sound that is sure to draw in individuals from all musical persuasions and backgrounds.
Tobacco City
Chicago, IL
With nearly 60 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, Chicago group Tobacco City is a powerful voice in modern folk and Americana. Tying a strong folk core to elements of indie rock and psychedelia, Chris Coleslaw and Lexi Goddard create warm, confident songs with strong vocal harmonies and familiar instrumentation. Their second album, "Horses," was released last month with Scissor Tail Records. This project pairs their characteristic and steady sound with evocative lyrics to create a listening experience equal parts pensive and euphoric – perfect for a long drive down an open highway, or gazing up at a sprawling Midwestern sky. Don’t miss this duo when they take the stage on Saturday, we promise you’ll find something to love.
Sleeper’s Bell
Chicago, IL
Also hailing from Chicago is the indie folk duo Sleeper’s Bell, comprised of lyricist/vocalist Blaine Teppema and guitarist Evan Green. Since self-releasing their EP "Umarell" in 2021, the duo has continued to write and perform, and released their debut album "Clover" in early February of this year. Sleeper’s Bell is a songwriting force to be reckoned with – each track on "Clover" is a powerful self-contained capsule of emotion. Their lo-fi folk sound is sparse at times and lush at others, always delivering in memorable melody and lyricism. Sleeper’s Bell lyrics are vulnerable and direct, their resonance built by Teppema’s fresh and assured vocal style. The group has been to Bloomington before, but this is their first time playing a set at Culture Shock; with the consistency and strength of their songwriting, this is an act to look out for.
Bats
Nashville, TN
Arriving for their Culture Shock debut from Nashville, Tennessee, Bats is another of our folk-inspired 2025 acts. The group is helmed by songwriter and lead vocalist Jess Awh, who first released music under the Bats name in 2016. Stylistically, Awh’s songwriting combines a classic country sway with the sensitivity of bedroom pop, a seriously charming combination that can be appreciated no matter the circumstance. Bats’ newest LP, "Good Game Baby," was released in February 2024, and develops the core parts of this hybrid sound into a smooth, wistful, and resonant listening experience. Bats releases are easily recognizable by little bird illustrations on their covers; tune into some of these before April 12th, and don’t miss their Culture Shock debut!
Wind
Bloomington, IN
The first of Culture Shock’s hometown bands, Wind, have been performing their singular, genre-melding sound in and around Bloomington for a while now. Their layered sound weaves prominent, howling vocals and explosive guitar with disparate genre influences from emo, alternative country, and metal. While their music isn't available on most streaming services, you can always give it a listen on bandcamp or find a local show to catch them at. If you haven’t seen this local gem before, be sure to make time for their set on Saturday-- You don't want to miss this group!
Mourning Star
Bloomington, IN
Since they began performing in February of 2024, Mourning Star have become a Bloomington indie mainstay. The quartet perform a captivating take on noisy indie rock, combining lush and loud guitar with dreamy vocals to create their self-described ‘stargaze’ sound. The stellar EP "flowers for your friends" is their most recent release, from October of 2024. This is another Bloomington band you need to see live if you haven’t; we can’t talk up their Culture Shock set enough. (And if you want to hear more from the band before you see them on stage, WIUX sat down with Mourning Star last winter to discuss their history and new EP in detail.)
Like we said earlier – there’s so much to look forward to during Culture Shock 2025! Dunn Meadow will come alive on Saturday with music, activities, clear April weather, and good company. Now that you know a little bit more about our performers, take some time to get familiar with their music and lyrics. Mark your calendars, get excited, and we will see you all on Dunn Meadow later this week.
