Pearl and the Beard to play tonight at the Bluebird

Folk-pop trio Pearl and the Beard will perform tonight at 8 p.m. at the Bluebird Nightclub.

Emily Hope Price, vocalist and cellist for the band, said the trio went from being a normal folk group to having a more intensified sound in order to appeal to music fans of many genres.

“Our group has grown through the years, going from acoustic instruments to a more amplified sound in every genre by incorporating electric instruments and drums,” Price said.

Pearl and the Beard has released four albums since 2009.

Along with Price, the group consists of Jocelyn Mackenzie and Jeremy Styles. All three members are vocalists and play instruments such as cello, guitar, glockenspiel, accordion and drums.

Price, Mackenzie and Styles met and formed Pearl and the Beard while performing at open mic nights in New York City.

“It was a transformative experience for all of us,” Price said. “This was the first time I ever performed with my cello, and we all came together, exploring our love for folk song craft.”

Since then, the three individuals have produced records with a variety of instrumentals.

All three members co-write the group’s songs by alternating from person to person who puts their own introspective and cinematic focus on the lyrics while the rest of the group offers input.

“It is truly a great opportunity for us to come to Bloomington, because this performance will be more attuned to the listening experience,” Price said. “This will be a different kind of concert set from going to a normal concert where visuals are everything.”

Pearl and the Beard are coming to the Bluebird as part of the venue’s monthly Communion tour, which takes place on the second Tuesday of every month. The band is the only one playing in all nine cities of the tour.

Tickets to tonight’s show are $11-15 and attendees must be at least 21 years of age.

“Pearl and the Beard have always been firm supporters of Communion Records,” said Molly Moltzen, a member of the band’s management team. “They have always had a great connection with the company, and we’re honored to join the tour with them. What makes Pearl and the Beard so great is how they play the type of music that tackles what music is all about, and that’s bringing people together as a community through sound.”