Indianapolis artists to perform at Bear’s

Indianapolis artists Branch Gordon and Adrian Kolbo will showcase blues and independent rock during their 9 p.m. Tuesday performance at Bear’s Place Ale House and Eatery.

Gordon will bring the blues with the use of a looping pedal/synth workstation, and Kolbo will perform a solo acoustic and electric guitar act with harmonious lyrics.

“They are both energetic, ambitious artists, so it will be a great show,” Bear’s booking agent Derrick Parker said. He added that this isn’t a run-of-the-mill cover band performance.

“If you like good music, then this is the show you want to go to,” Parker said.

Gordon began playing piano at the age of seven and played classical music for 10 years, until he was introduced to the guitar and songwriting.

“My dad played in a rock band before I was born, and he was my inspiration for getting on stage and writing music,” Gordon said.

In the beginning, Gordon said he tried to emulate his father, but in the early 1990s, he began developing his own style of music after listening to Nirvana, Weezer and Green Day.

Gordon’s first CD debut, titled “Under the Fluorescent Lights,” was released in 2008.
“It is the idea that you are stuck in a corporate atmosphere as a musician with no time to write music,” Gordon said of the album’s title.

Gordon quit his job in June 2009 to play more shows and said he is never going back.
“I may shift my focus from tiny gigs to producing, but my focus will always be in music,” Gordon said. “It’s nice because it never feels like work. I do my own thing and I am in control of my destiny.”

Gordon said because his job kept him busy, he was only writing a song every six months, so when he quit, he decided to write and record 30 songs in 30 days.

“I uploaded them to the Web to keep myself accountable,” Gordon said. “I dove into the world of writing weird stores, making up metaphors and expanding my writing scheme.”

He said his second self-titled EP, released in summer 2009, is a progression into playing music for a living.

“Right now I am focused on booking as many shows as possible and getting a following,” he said.

With musicians as parents as well, Kolbo has been singing since the age of three and started songwriting at the age of 13.

Kolbo said his songs are influenced by classic rock, especially by his dad’s old records of The Beatles, James Gang, Kansas and Mountain.

Kolbo received his undergraduate music degree with studies in classical contemporary composition, audio engineering, production and live sound at the University of Indianapolis in 2005.

He began playing in bands at the age of 15 but became a solo performer throughout college. Kolbo said when playing alone, he felt vulnerable.

“Say you’re in a coffeehouse with 30 people and everyone is either doing their homework or listening to me,” Kolbo said. “It is hard to ignore a floor piece band opposed to an acoustic guitar, so I have to perform in a certain undeniable way that holds your attention.”

In 2006, after the release of his album “Midnight Redemption” with songwriting partner Shawn Blomberg, Kolbo moved to Seattle. By May 2008, Kolbo was back in Indianapolis recording his album “Caste,” which was released in August.
 
He said the direction of his musical endeavors includes being a part of the music scene in Indianapolis while producing and songwriting with Branch.

“I have a love-hate relationship with the Indianapolis music scene, because I don’t enjoy the music scene out there with everyone I see playing covers at bars or battle of the bands.” Kolbo said. “Music is about artistic expression.”