Lotus dazzles Bluebird with color and melody

The band Lotus played to an enthusiastic crowd at the Bluebird Nightclub this Tuesday. Lotus, a band that formed while attending Goshen College in Indiana, played their usual instrumental mix of funk, jazz and rock. Accompanying them was Oxford, England’s own “The Egg.”

Lotus came to Bloomington after doing a show in Carbondale, Ill. and a number of shows across the Midwest. Earlier this month, Lotus played to a crowd of over 2,000 people at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver. Bluebird’s crowd neared to 100 on Tuesday.

Lotus has not received widespread media attention over the years, but they have appeared in some print publications such as Billboard Magazine, The Fretboard Journal and Guitar Player Magazine. Guitar Player Magazine nominated Lotus for a “Jammy” award for their album, “Escaping Sargasso Sea” in the “Best Live Album of 2007” category.

Before Lotus took the stage, The Egg played their set. The band played a blend electronic and funk music packed full of synthesizers and bass. This sound started off a night full of head-bobbing, dancing and robot imitations.
 The Egg played a 45 minute well-received set and had very little to say between songs. The band simply gave the audience what they wanted and closed with a “thank you. “

Lotus hit the stage after a brief set up intermission and sound check. Several cheers came from the audience as the lights went out and the band took the stage. The energy carried over throughout the night as Lotus displayed their musical talents, accompanied by a choreographed light display. The night’s music was full complex guitar-playing and synthesizers along with a catchy bass and drum line.

Lotus played a mixture of music from previous albums and some music from their new double disk album “Oil on Glass/Feather on Wood,” that came out earlier this month.

For the next two days, Lotus will be on the road in Ohio. They will be performing Wednesday at Bogarts in Cincinnati and Thursday at the House of Blues Cleveland.