FLYINGSOLO

No band? No shoes? No problem.\nOne-man jam band extraordinaire Keller Williams will bring his unique live show back to Bloomington Sunday, armed with an arsenal of guitars and a state-of-the-art looping system that defies explanation. Simply, Williams is capable of creating music onstage that defies categorization. \nBorn and raised in Fredericksburg, Va., Williams came out of the mid-'90s Colorado jam scene as one of its most promising figures. For nearly a decade, Williams has recorded more than seven albums and has been on the road constantly, notably opening for the String Cheese Incident. SCI also served as the backing band for his 1999 album, Breathe.\nBut when it came time to record his latest album, he went for a more down to earth approach. \nReleased in August, Home is Williams taking his one-man stage show to a one-man studio show. Williams played all the instruments himself, including but not limited to, the organ, bass, piano, drums and of course, acoustic/electric guitar. As can be judged by the title, Williams recorded it in a studio near his house in his hometown of Fredericksburg. \nWilliams couldn't seem more excited about the new material. He'll introduce his IU fans to it at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Alumni Hall.\n"(The album) was so much fun to do; I've been lucky to always have so many people wanting to play with me," Williams says. "(But), I was curious to explore the possibilities when I got more and more confident with the technique, this album is most representative of me and my music."\nEven though this is the first album on which Williams has played all the instruments, his live shows have always featured him surrounded by technology. Along with traditional instruments, Williams will bring along Midi equipment to loop a certain beat repeatedly and play guitar on top.\n"Ever since I started looping, more and more toys keep showing up for me to play with," Williams says. "There will be 8 to 10 guitars, a standup drum kit, a slide guitar … I'll be able to make a lot of different sounds."\nWith those different sounds come different songs as well. Williams says he never has a set list, and with the plethora of songs he has written, it's safe to say each show is never exactly the same -- nor is the subject matter of those songs. Williams' songs are consciously upbeat, tending to emulate the bright and quirky side of life. \nSongs with titles like "Love Handles" and "Kidney in a Cooler," permeate Williams' catalog. The latter is a true story about seeing something absolutely bizarre while driving through Oklahoma cross-country.\nIn addition to his own songs, Williams says he loves to play covers of his favorite songs.\n"Always expect covers, especially The (Grateful) Dead," he says. "It really varies on what songs I feel like playing. I might hear something on the radio or (play) something I just happen to be into at the time. My inspiration for covers comes from all different places."\nIt's not surprising Williams enjoys covering Dead songs, as he's an avid fan and followed the band during the first half of the '90s. William talks about those days with an "I was there, man!" attitude, and it's clear he is what he describes himself as: "Music fan first, musician second." \nAll those years as a Deadhead were good practice for Williams, who to this day prefers to cruise the country in a motor home instead of a cushy tour bus. It's a decision he says is inspired by a few factors. \n"Part of it is financial, but it's easy for me to do because of all the years I've done it now," he says.\nWilliams is constantly inspired by different types of music, old and new. His experiments with looping got him into a techno phase still evident in his live show. \nHe cites Africa as his new influence for his latest musical obsession. \n"I've been into the African side of things recently -- lots of Afro-beat, and some back beat lounge types of music," he says.\nAs for these recent influences infiltrating his new material, Williams says it's "almost impossible for me not to incorporate what I listen to in my songwriting."\nIn addition to his music, Williams has another career that's taking off -- radio DJ. He's the host of a weekly hour-long radio show called Keller's Cellar. The concept? Simple. Williams says he plays what he wants. \n"It's a lot of fun -- it's like putting my mix tape on the radio," he says.\nKeller Williams is surely one of the most unique talents to hit IU this fall. On stage, Williams is a kid in a toy store, making every sound possible every way possible, whether it's from a high tech gadget or from his own mouth. Over the past decade, Williams has exponentially evolved as an artist, and though he tours constantly, he's very much at Home artistically.\nFor more information on Williams, check out www.kellerwilliams.net.