Pat McGee to play at Bluebird

I'm trying to get you to open up your sense to all the fine things that tear down the fences/put up by, and kept by those who don't always listen to what father told you they would be missin'./Out and down on this child's intervention/this boy never meant nothing but just to give you all about the passion. - Pat McGee\nFor the Pat McGee Band, it is "all about the passion," devotion for music and for its fans, who have driven it on a meteoric rise through the music industry. \nNow, this passion will be on hand in Bloomington. \nThe Pat McGee Band will perform 10 p.m. today at the Bluebird Nightclub, 216 N. Walnut St., one of hundreds of shows the band will be performing this year.\nDave Kubiak, general manager for the Bluebird, said he was happy he was able to book the band and its opening act, Marathon, for the concert. \n"Pat played two years ago with Vertical Horizon and it was a great turnout," Kubiak said. "Their music is popular in the college market. They are popular on the East Coast and with several East Coast students here, we thought it would be great to get the band back here."\nThe band has found national fame, appearing in an article in Billboard's Feb. 3 issue, performing with Craig Kilborn and playing for President Bill Clinton at a farewell celebration. These were major breakthroughs for a band that was already considered one of the hottest up and coming bands by Billboard. \nFormed in the Richmond, Va., area in 1996, the Pat McGee Band is gathering new fans with each gig. \nJune 1, 1999, the band signed with Giant Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. "Working on a major label was a bit different because we could use the finest studios and engineers to get the best sound out to our fans on this new album," Pat McGee, the band's lead singer, said.\nApril 11, 2000, Pat McGee Band released its second studio album, Shine, on the Giant label. \n"The sound of Shine is more mature and polished but still raw Pat McGee Band material," McGee said. "Shine has the same positive vibe that Revel did, but I feel like the songwriting is more mature and the arrangements and colorful instrumentation is the core of why Shine flows the way it does." \nRecorded in Sausalito, Calif., the album contains old classics such as "Rebecca" and "Haven't Seen for a While," along with new favorites such as "Hero," "Lost," "Runaway" and the title track, "Shine." \nJunior Rebecca Carpenter went to high school with Pat McGee and said she is attracted to the energizedacoustic rock and tight vocal harmonies.\n"His music is the best," Carpenter said. "Everyone should go see him if you are looking for a good time. I think his song 'Rebecca' might even be named after me," Carpenter said jokingly about her favorite Pat McGee song.\nThe band plays more than 250 shows a year, and has logged hundreds of thousands of miles on its touring vans. \nKubiak said tonight's performance should be a fan-filled event.\n"I think we will get a good crowd," Kubiak said. "It should be a great concert."\nTickets are available at the Bluebird Nightclub and at all Ticketmaster locations. Cost is $6. The show starts at 9 p.m. with opening act Marathon. For more information contact the Bluebird, 216 N. Walnut St., at 336-3984.\nEric Zlotogura contributed to this article.