The Indiana Memorial Union Board presented its “Live from Bloomington” album release performance with seven local artists Friday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.
Comprised of local bands and musicians, including students and Bloomington residents, the seven acts took the stage to promote the “Live from Bloomington” album release and raise money for Hoosier Hills Food Bank, which will receive all proceeds from LFB album sales. The event was not ticketed, but accepted donations.
Since 1986, the Indiana Memorial Union Board has organized the student-led philanthropic project, the “Live from Bloomington” album. The organization has worked with several local charities, most often Hoosier Hills Food Bank.
Seven of the 13 local artists featured on this year’s album performed at the event, including Mourning Star, Prairie Scout, Pearlynn Queen, Yeti Gamble, Greens and the Sun Seekers, Rj Beck and Albail. The album release was also a costume party, and audience members filled the floor in front of the stage wearing a variety of costumes, including pirates, a chicken and movie characters.
IU junior Carley Mosby, Director of “Live from Bloomington,” said her personal goal for this event was to foster a close community and collect money for a good cause while also having fun.
“Bringing the community, literally, physically together is really cool,” Mosby said. “Beyond just having songs from Bloomington on a CD and raising money.”
The show began with Pearlynn Queen urging members of the audience to stand and dance. At that, almost 30 attendees pressed against the stage. Members of Pearlynn Queen all wore costumes, including DoodleBob and Michael Myers.
Albail and Prairie Scout continued the show with acoustic sets and more original songs, including “Undergrowth” from Prairie Scout, which they performed under the green stage lights.
In between the two acoustic sets, Mosby took to the stage to promote other student media organizations and urged the audience to support WIUX and local music in Bloomington.
After Mourning Star concluded their self-described “space noise star-gaze” set, members of the audience gathered around the stage for a costume contest. Votes were cast by the audience cheering for their favorite costume, with Remy from “Ratatouille” receiving the most noise and being crowned the winner.
Attendees IU freshman Morgan Jarvis and sophomore Cole Miller dressed up as Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy from SpongeBob SquarePants for the performance. They said they enjoyed seeing this side of the Bloomington music scene in a historical local venue.
“It was really great, I liked the variety of music, and all the bands had good sound,” Miller said. the “Live from Bloomington” album was sold in the lobby alongside a donation box for Hoosier Hill Food Bank. The Union Board will soon begin planning next year’s LFB album release, and Mosby said she hopes the program will continue to improve while staying focused on the community.
“We’re always encouraged to dream big, think big, we have a lot of support,” Mosby said. “I really care about what the Union Board has done and what it stands for, like student voices.”
