That’s one of a handful of reasons Unions agreed to play a 4 p.m. matinee show Saturday at the Bishop with Busman’s Holiday, Jackson said. Jackson, 40, moved to Bloomington from North Carolina three years ago with his wife, Kim, who is also in Unions. He said the idea for this show reminds him of shows that were common in North Carolina.
“In Durham, venues would do matinee shows,” he said. “Trucks would show up, and kids would run around and adults would drink beer and listen to music.”
The show is the third of its kind since June, Bishop promoter Dan Coleman said. The new series started when buzzed-about indie rock outfit Bully came through Bloomington in June.
Coleman said the venue often has scheduling difficulties on weekends from having to work around performances at the Comedy Attic, which is located in the same building. But Bully insisted on playing a weekend show, he said, and the band wanted it to be all-ages — another rarity at the Bishop, where shows are usually 18-plus or 21-plus.
So Coleman put together a 5 p.m. show for the band, and after seeing the show’s success, he did a similar show shortly after. Saturday’s show is the third in the series, and Coleman said he’s realized the series draws a demographic that might be otherwise unable to see rock bands play live.
“There are a lot of people here (in their) late 30s and early 40s who want to go to shows but can’t because of babysitters or work,” he said.
Among the crowd drawn by the earlier installments was Jackson, who caught one of the shows and was impressed by its diverse crowd and non-pretentious atmosphere. That led to him talking with Coleman, which eventually led to Unions being part of the bill for the upcoming show.
“It was a completely different vibe and experience,” he said. “It was parents and little kids and high school kids and younger college kids I might only see at house shows, but also the regular hipster set.”
Coleman, who said he’s toyed in the past with the idea of starting a “rock ‘n’ roll babysitting service” for the older set that can’t usually make it out to weeknight shows, said the goal of the series isn’t necessarily to appeal to kids or even families. Rather, he said, it’s about presenting accessible music in accessible time frames.
“I don’t want having a family to be a hindrance to you seeing good music,” he said.
For Jackson, the shows also recall his background in punk rock, a community that often emphasizes the importance of all-ages shows. Now that he’s in his 40s and in a rock ‘n’ roll band, an all-ages show in an official venue provides a contrast to typical bar shows.
“I have a soft spot for the idea of all-ages shows,” he said. “Especially if you have a background playing in bars ... There’s something special about all ages of people coming to hear your music.”
