Little 500 weekend is almost upon Bloomington, and though Union Board announced the cancellation of this year’s official Little 500 concert, students and Bloomington residents seeking to pair their revelry with live entertainment still have some options. Bars and venues in town will offer performances throughout the weekend. Here are some of those shows.
Where: Kilroy’s Dunnkirk
What: Homegrown
When: 10 p.m. Friday
Homegrown is a cover band from Bloomington. The six members started their group five years ago and cover a wide range of music. The band plays music ranging from Maroon 5 to Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson and the White Stripes, according to the venue’s website.
Where: The Bluebird Nightclub
What: Rod Tuffcurls and the Benchpress
When: 9:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday
Rod Tuffcurls and the Benchpress is a cover band from Chicago that has been performing since 2008 and covering artists from Halls & Oates to Taylor Swift and Queen to the Beatles. The group is well-known for its more unexpected song choices, such as Disney songs and some Broadway tunes, according to the band’s website. “I think most college students will know Rod Tuffcurls,” the Bluebird Nightclub owner Dave Kubiak said.
What: Boy Band Review and Reece Phillips
When: 9:00 p.m. Saturday
Boy Band Review and Reece Phillips is a cover band that performs covers of songs by 1990s boy bands such as *NSYNC, The Backstreet Boys and Boyz ll Men, and other ‘90s acts like Britney Spears and the Spice Girls, according to the band’s website. “Saturday is going to be some really fun party music, which fits well with Little Five,” Kubiak said.
Where: The Player’s Pub
What: The Uketones
When: 5 p.m. Saturday
Bloomington’s only ukulele band, the Uketones, will be playing its island sounds at The Player’s Pub. The band consists of three women who play songs from throughout several decades, according to the venue’s website.
What: The Dynamics
When: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
The Dynamics are a funk-rock ‘n’ roll group that performs at venues, weddings and festivals around Bloomington, according to the band’s Facebook page.
Where: The Back Door
What: Solidarity Dance Party
When: 10 p.m. Thursday
For its Solidarity Dance Party, the Back Door asks patrons donate $5 at the door to help LGBT people with Bloomington ties who face felony charges for disrupting the presidential inauguration in January in Washington, D.C. Anti-fascist merchandise and literature will be available, according to the venue’s website, which calls the event “a big gay Lil 5 dance party.”
Where: Brothers Bar and Grill
What: Live DJs
Live DJs will play every night this week at Brothers. On Thursday and Saturday, Bloomington resident Sean Matthews, who performs as DJ Shizzy Slaw, will perform. “We’re playing dance music like trap,” Matthews said. “It’s going to be a good time.”
