Do you feel the spirit?

If you went to see Girl Talk, Joanna Newsom, Sufjan Stevens, Grizzly Bear or any other nationally touring band play here in Bloomington, you most likely have Spirit of ’68 Promotions to thank. Better yet, thank Dan Coleman.

Coleman is the man behind Spirit of ’68. An IU grad and music aficionado, Coleman works to book concerts for the people in Bloomington and Indiana’s larger community. Until recently, many bands didn’t even entertain the notion of playing a show in Bloomington.

“That’s unacceptable,” Coleman said. “We are a college town with tons of people who want to come out and see live music.”

In 2004, Coleman sensed he could help make a difference and began his organization. Bloomington was ripe for development, a pit stop between Chicago and Louisville.
During the next six years, Bloomington would become a hub for touring bands.

Now, more than 200 well-known artists have made trips to Bloomington through the efforts of Spirit of ’68 Promotions. They play in all kinds of venues, from the John Waldron Arts Center to the Bluebird Nightclub.

“I tried to put Eli Reed at The Players Pub, but they never got back to me,” Coleman said. Besides The Players Pub, Spirit of ’68 has booked at least one band in every single venue the city has to offer.

“Bands are choosing Bloomington over places like Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Louisville,” Coleman said.

Many of them have a habit of coming back, too. Bloomington has gone from a musical ghost town to an exclusive club with artists waiting outside for their turn to entertain.

“I used to have to hunt down bands. I haven’t had to actively pursue a band in probably over a year,” Coleman said. “A lot of what I do now is say ‘no’ to bands.”

Before setting a date for a band to play, Coleman must consider all the factors that go into making the best show possible for the listeners as well as the artists. Every detail matters: the venue, the season, the day of the week.

This May is packed with its share of touring bands. Some of the shows include New York band Phantogram and a popular folk artist from Sweden, The Tallest Man on Earth.  

Spirit of ’68 schedules concerts for nearly every musical inclination, and Tuesday night was no exception. Punk rocker Nobunny and his accompanying musicians brought their own unique crowd of listeners to The Bishop. Clad in cut-off shirts and Chuck Taylors, equipped with pitchers of Pabst Blue Ribbon and clove cigarettes, fans danced all night to the music. The evening featured crowd surfers, water-throwers and even fireworks on stage.

“We drive to create something better for the scene, one show at a time,” Coleman said.

The movement has been revolutionary for Bloomington’s music scene and continues to contribute to the community. Reminiscent of 1968, change is happening. From one venue to another, there is a spirit of hope and freedom for musical expression and a promise of great tunes for everyone, all under one united city sky.