Rock 'N' Roll Prom

Put on a bow tie and your thickest pair of glasses – it’s time for prom.

The sixth annual Rock ’N’ Roll Prom will take place Saturday at The Bluebird Nightclub.

Sponsored by Boxcar Books and The Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project, the event, whose theme is “Talk Nerdy to Me,” will feature local musicians performing as cover bands ranging from Belle and Sebastian to Madonna.

Boxcar Books event coordinator and Rock ‘N’ Roll Prom coordinator Steven Stothard said it’s one of the best ways to do your prom over again.

“Rock ‘N’ Roll Prom attempts to recreate what prom might have look liked if all the rejects, alterna-teens and punks threw a big cover show,” Stothard said. “This year’s theme, ‘Talk Nerdy to Me,’ really captures that.”

Besides allowing attendees to don their craziest get-ups and dance the night away, Rock ‘N’ Roll Prom benefits both Boxcar Books and The Midwest Pages to Prisoners project, which provides free reading materials to prisoners to encourage their self-education.

“We hope to get as many people out and down for the cause – get people dancing and grooving to benefit two of Bloomington’s great volunteer-powered nonprofit organizations,” Stothard said.

IU alumnus Christopher Welz played at last year’s prom and will be returning as part of a Madonna cover band.

“I was surprised nobody had chosen to do Madonna to this point,” Welz said in an e-mail interview. “Since the band is comprised of Whippoorwill, a local Bloomington band with a beautiful female lead vocalist, we thought Madonna would be a good fit for us ... and Madonna songs rule, so easy decision.”

Three other cover bands will also perform sets. One band, Marvin and Tammi, is composed  of members of Metal in the Microwave, Crystal Sullivan and friends. The band will be performing Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terell covers.

Additionally, Border Collie and the Infinite Badasses will be playing Smashing Pumpkins covers. The band consists of members of Gourmet Scum, What the Kids Want, Disaster and Quadrillion Babes.

Ginger Alford of local band Good Luck said she is looking forward to recreating the sound of Belle and Sebastian.

“They have a really distinctive style, and we’re going to have fun trying to recreate their songs live with piano, trumpet and strings,” Alford said.

Besides showcasing four local bands, the event features a themed photo booth. Each session is $1.

At the end of the night, a king and a queen will be crowned winners of the best-dressed contest. The contest will be judged by the Bleeding Heartland Roller Girls, a roller derby league based in south central Indiana.

Stothard said the king and queen will win a tiara, but the real prize will be the validation of knowing they’re the nerdiest people in Bloomington.