Self-described “cosmic jive” local rock band Andromedaughter was formed two weeks before its first performance. Now, the band is part of an upcoming wave of women-centered bands in Bloomington.
Andromedaughter will perform on March 7 at Collins Living-Learning Center in the Cheshire Café. Singer and ukulele player Sara Warner formed Andromedaughter with bassist and singer Leslie Lopez last October, and the band eventually added guitarist and singer Nona Anderson and drummer Blake McKean.
Warner, Lopez and Anderson are women and IU students.
Warner and Lopez said they were considering cosmic names for the band and were inspired by the name of the Andromeda Galaxy. They added “daughter” at the end to emphasize their feminine flair, and Andromedaughter was born.
Warner also said they liked the association of “andro” with “androgynous,” emphasizing the band’s queerness. It’s also worth noting that Andromeda, the name of a Greek goddess, means “ruler of men.”
Members of the band said the music touches a lot on heartbreak and relationships. Musical inspirations for the band include the indie rocker Mitski, singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett and Nai Palm of the neo-soul band Hiatus Kaiyote.
Andromedaughter is currently recording three songs with Megan Searl, an audio engineering senior at the Jacobs School of Music. The members of the band hope to release these songs within the next few months.
Warner and Lopez have both been involved in Jacobs in the past as well. Warner was studying opera for a short time and Lopez was once in a vocal jazz ensemble. Warner said she appreciates classical music but wanted more creative freedom.
The band also commented on the changing landscape and soundscape of the local music scene in Bloomington. Warner said she, among many others in the music scene, has been noticing crowds are getting larger and larger and that house shows seem more like social events than concerts these days.
Lopez also said that even though house show audiences have always been mostly comprised of young women, that demographic often hasn’t been equally represented on stage.
“I wish it wasn’t a factor in us being a band, but it is,” Warner said. “These communities have been completely marginalized, and thus anytime they occupy a space it is something to celebrate.”
Andromedaughter recently performed at the Fem’ & Funky show, a performance dedicated to women and other marginalized communities that raised money for Middle Way House, a domestic violence and sexual assault support center.
“This is a scene that I love and that I want to preserve,” Lopez said.
Warner, Lopez and Anderson all agree they are more than happy to be part of the recent wave of girl groups in Bloomington. Anderson also said anyone wanting to try to become a performer in the house show scene shouldn’t be intimidated.
“There’s nothing stopping anyone from doing it,” Anderson said.
Correction: an earlier version of this article said Warner played the guitar instead of the ukulele, and incorrectly identified McKean as an IU student. The IDS regrets these errors.
