Performers to bring Chicago influence to Bloomington stage

The Shams Band, with musical colleagues The Future Laureates and Knifey Spoonie, will perform at 10 p.m. Friday at Bear’s Place. The bands are part of the Chicago Roots Collective, a collaboration of 10 midwestern-based, indie-rock bands.

“We work together to get our music out,” said IU alumnus Donnie Biggins, one of the Shams Band’s vocalists and guitarists.

Prior to performances, the bands hold a meeting at Biggins’s house, where ideas and resources are shared.

“Hopefully, local bands will listen and know they can succeed together rather than be in competition,” Biggins said.

Today’s show will be the band’s first performance outside of Illinois.

Biggins said he is thrilled to be playing in Bloomington because it’s where he learned to play guitar.

“I love Bloomington,” he said. “It would be my home if not for my job in Chicago.”
Although each band’s Web site lists different rock genres, Shams Band members said they embrace “midwest rock.”

“Stylistically you could place us somewhere between the Chicago streets and the wide expanse of prairie between Chicago and Bloomington,” said Paul Gulyas, another one of the band’s vocalists and guitarists.

Gulyas said he is no stranger to Bloomington. Both of his parents are IU alumni.

“I have always loved the rural progressiveness of Bloomington,” Gulyas said. “I hope that with this show, we can give back some of the inspiration that B-Town has given us over the years.”

Although The Shams Band has been working together for a little more than a year, Biggins, Gulyas, drummer Doug Hill and bassist Brian Patterson said they have been friends since high school. 

“We all have long relationships with each other, which I think are brought out as an inspiring aspect of our music,” Biggins said. “We like to write our music so that it connects to our audience’s lives and is relatable to anyone.”

However, Biggins said the band’s predominant interest is for all to have fun.

“Our band brings on a very ’60s feel of dancing,” Biggins said. “We just always want everyone to get up, sing along and have a big party.”