Demarco headlines Culture Shock

As the sun set Saturday, the crowd grew restless and excited. Mac DeMarco was preparing to perform at Culture Shock, WIUX’s annual concert.

The artist, an unassuming figure in a white baseball cap, appeared without much of a fuss. He greeted the cheering crowd, then played his more well-known songs, including “Ode to Viceroy.”

Event-goers climbed on each others’ shoulders to get a good view of the artist, whose toothy grin was recently illustrated on T-shirts and posters mimicking Alfred E. Neuman, the famous cartoon mascot of MAD magazine.

Demarco has been described as a “blue wave” or “slacker-rock” artist likened to groups such as Pavement, Kurt Vile and Beck. His sound puts a new, softer twist on grunge without forgetting the certain twang that has become signature of the flannel-wearing artist.

But DeMarco wasn’t the only attraction at Culture Shock.

The event, which concluded IU’s Culture of Care Week, raised awareness about local Bloomington artists and businesses. It also supported anti-bullying groups.

DeMarco, the headline of the show, played at 9 p.m. — the end of the six-hour mini-festival of Bloomington bands and student musicians.

As students and locals rounded the corner of Dunn Meadow, they were greeted by music, barking dogs and a sky filled with white kites.

Tables where local businesses and artists sold food, jewelry and art  lined Dunn Meadow.

I asked a few vendors why they participated in the event, and their answers varied.

“We decided to participate in Culture Shock this year because it’s a really great community event,” said Shelby Everett of Fair Trade Bloomington and Global Gifts. “It’s great exposure for local vendors and food places and Global Gifts this year, and obviously great exposure for WIUX.”

Her booth sold fair-trade jewelry and products, and it raised awareness for local fair-trade markets.

The Culture Shock table sold T-shirts and kites and allowed attendees to enter raffles and win prizes.

In the middle of the meadow, attendees were able to decorate a huge plywood board in support of the event. One attendee painted an elaborate wolf head, while others simply painted the wooden board. Some even smeared paint on their friends.

Many milled around with flower crowns or paintings of sunsets.

As the event carried on, more and more attendees joined. People relaxed on the grass and watched as the more daring wrestled with the wind to get their kites into the air.

The featured bounce house attracted young Bloomington kids and, to my excitement, IU students who raced up and down the slides.

Artists set up booths to help support the event. Karen Heminger, whose artist name is “Midwest Waves,” sold refurbished wood pieces with intricate carved designs.

Others sold oil paintings.

Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard raised funds for a new tool-share program for families without access to proper equipment.

Senior Elisa Shrack, a human development and family studies major, attended with friends.

“I came to Culture Shock because I wanted to become more aware of different organizations in Bloomington and to actually interact with them in order to learn more about them,” she said.

She had come to the right place.