This Valentine’s Day, Bloomington band Fat Pockets will perform at 9 p.m. at the Bluebird Nightclub and will sing about every phase of love, from makeups to breakups to sex.
Lead singer Shai Marie said the setlist will explore falling in and out of love and everything in between. Marie said the concert will be a journey through the decades, covering music from artists spanning from Beyoncé to Stevie Wonder.
“For Valentine’s Day, we’re bringing the love,” Marie said. “We start with the old-school love, when it’s all nice and fun and floaty, and we just travel through time.”
Guitarist Michael Birk said, before the concert starts little mail boxes will be set up for audience members to send the band Valentines. Saxophonist Peyton Womock said they are also developing an interactive Instagram filter where people can find out which Fat Pockets band member they are.
For the performance itself, Birk said Fat Pockets will deliver an experience complete with costume changes, dance moves and sound effects.
“I might be a little biased, but it’s the most entertaining show anybody can go see,” Birk said. “You just have to be there to experience it.”
The band has a secret list of guest artists it plans to bring onstage, as well as outfits the audience might not expect, Womock said. Fat Pockets encourages its audience to clap, sing and dance as part of all its performances, Womock said.
“We like to bring the crowd in with us, so it’s going to be an interactive experience,” Womock said. “Be ready to have fun.”
Womock said the band’s energy grows exponentially with the energy it receives from the crowd.
The performance will be Fat Pockets’ first time back at the Bluebird Nightclub since its Beyoncé-themed Homecoming show in October. Marie said playing at the Bluebird is special, both for the more personal experience of an intimate setting and because of the band’s special ties to the venue. The Bluebird is where Fat Pockets had its first show in 2017, and it has since built up its fan base by performing there regularly, Marie said.
“Playing at the Bluebird is what got us to playing other venues,” Marie said. “They were the first ones that really put us on. It all started at the Bluebird.”
Fat Pockets’ goal is to throw a big party, Birk said. The band plans on keeping a high energy with fast-paced songs and it'll throw in a couple romantic slow jams. Everyone in the audience will be able to hear a love song they can enjoy, Birk said.
“That’s really all it’s about,” Birk said. “Spreading the love through some music.”
Tickets are available online at the Bluebird website or at the door for $5. A pack of four tickets can be purchased for $15.
