Jacco Gardner, Thee Open Sex play Bishop

With incense burning and skulls decorating the stage, opening band Thee Open Sex played to a large crowd at The Bishop Bar, setting the tone for main act Jacco Gardner and second opener The Mallard.

Comprising five members, Bloomington-based Thee Open Sex singer Miss Mess said the band was happy to come back to town after their visit to South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.

The band played one new song titled “Drippin’ Down” and will start a tour later this spring.

“It was our first time at South by Southwest, and we had a blast,” Miss Mess said. “We opened for a couple of bands — PC Worship and Useless Eaters — and then we also played our own showcase of songs.”

Taking the stage after Thee Open Sex was The Mallard, a San Francisco-based band working on its sophomore LP, which will be released on record label Castle Face this spring.

Jacco Gardner closed the night out with his solo instrumental set, featuring pop and psychedelic melodies from his myriad of instruments, including drums, harpsichord and guitar.

Gardner’s set included songs from his debut LP “Cabinet of Curiosities”.

Miss Mess of Thee Open Sex said she looked forward to playing in Bloomington and thanked the crowd multiple times while on stage for supporting the bands of the night.
“I really enjoy being on stage and just trancing out,” she said. “It may sound cheesy, but I just like being in the moment and feeling the crowd.”

The driving beats and heavy guitar rhythms of Thee Open Sex had the crowd moving, complete with “lots of reverb,” as requested by Miss Mess.