The proverbial tree falling in the woods

The crowd was small: four random folks, four of my friends and members of the performing bands and their women. Searching for an explanation for the Midstates' frontman Paul Heintz afterwards, I came up with graduation and Memorial Day. The truth is, Midstates should be playing to huge crowds, its sound warrants the ardor and the members' personalities deserve it.\nOpening the show with a shock of new/no-wave, no-rules rock, Mt. Gigantic was clearly a band resolved to the smaller crowds. Not that the Bloomington-based musicians were frighteningly amateurish; they were infinitely interesting and (for Bloomington at least) refreshingly experimental. Guided by Ben Bussel's athletic drumming and Simon St. Sebastian's wild, banshee singing style, Mt. Gigantic is all rhythm and deconstruction. \nThe group, which amusingly was voted the third best hip-hop band by The Pin-Up, only suffers from elements of style over substance. Its songs all seemed about two minutes too long and lacked the presence to accompany the interesting things the individual players were conjuring up. Mt. Gigantic's rhythm was so tight, though, that I could just imagine the white boy dances that might have ensued. What was invigorating about the band was its attack of the music and its sonic assault of Vertigo, albeit an empty club that night. Admittedly, the band's obfuscating nature and dizzying performance leaves adjectives scarce for this first time observer. Not that it was forgettable, just too complex to be explained in one viewing.\nThe second act, Judah Johnson, on the other hand, was so forgettable I feel it is in bad taste to give these folks much press at all. Sounding like a cross between the Wallflowers and Third Eye Blind, its sound would fit seamlessly into any of the modern-rock radio's faceless playlists. Looking more like characters from a Brett Easton Ellis novel than a meaningful rock band, Judah Johnson was style over substance in a much worse way.\nAh, but then the Midstates. Making the trip out to Bloomington from its home of Calumet City, Ill., for the second time in a month, the shoegazing musicians played a wild set of songs from their masterful new record Shadowing Ghosts. Full of catchy choruses, delightful crescendos and unexpected climaxes, Midstates proved to be a remarkable amount of fun for a Friday night. My disappointment in the lame turnout was eased by the playful interaction of the band members. They were having more fun than anyone. From drummer Angel Ledezma's bee-like hands to keyboardists Steve Munoz's inability to remain seated, the group radiated the simple pleasures that this rock and roll thing affords its followers.\nEvery single person I talked to after the show was blown away by the Midstates' performance, and though I felt sorry for them, I felt thoroughly entertained by the end of the evening. I implore Vertigo to keep bringing acts like Midstates and Mt. Gigantic around, if only to give this town some credibility. Eventually, the crowds have to and will come.