Almost Famous

They’re not rock stars, but they play rock stars’ songs.

Bar patrons flock to hear well-known songs from guys who are not so well-known.

Local cover bands 40% Steve and the Clayton Anderson Band, as well as touring acts like Hairbangers Ball and Zoso, rock out at Bloomington institutions about once a month, drawing many IU students.

“College kids like to hear songs they know,” said Dave Kubiak, manager of the Bluebird Nightclub.

He said he thought the aforementioned bands are popular because of their deliveries.
 
“They’re both young, energetic performers,” Kubiak said. “They have good energy on stage and come across to all the people.”

IU optometry student Sarah Dierks, a classmate of Clayton Anderson Band’s drummer, Andrew Neukirch, first heard the band when she started at IU in 2005. She agreed with Kubiak concerning the band’s stage presence.

“My first impression was that they played good songs,” Dierks said. “They were fun to watch and had lots of energy.”

The Appleton, Wis., native also said she enjoyed the atmosphere the band promoted while it played.

“I love the cover songs they play,” she said. “They are great performers and definitely get the crowd involved.”

Dierks has seen the band at least six times and said she was ecstatic to see them play again.

Her favorite songs from the band are “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Sweet Caroline” and “Sweet Home Alabama.”

Though the band plays plenty of covers, don’t tell Clayton Anderson he fronts a cover band.

“We don’t consider ourselves a cover band,” Anderson said. “We have been working really hard on original material.”

A Bedford native, Anderson graduated from IU in 2006 with a business degree. He said the band played at least 10 original songs during its set and added cover songs between their originals to have a two-hour set.

“It allows us to play to the masses in hopes of winning over some true fans who will really get into what we are writing ourselves,” he said. “So far, we have been successful.”

The band had been playing covers since 2003. Last summer, it opened for country star Kenny Chesney. Anderson said his band’s original songs were better received by the audience this past year than they had been in the past.

“You can tell a huge difference between this year and last school year on the amount of people who are singing along to our originals and not running to the bathroom or the bar for another drink,” he said. “It’s a great compliment for the crowd to stay and dance even if they don’t know the song.”

Though Anderson’s band plays more than just covers, Bloomington band 40% Steve strictly plays cover songs. It has been successful for the group, as it was voted “Best Local Band” in Best of Bloomington for the past four years.

Communications major Mallory Cameron got hooked on the band during her freshman year at IU. The band made a good first impression on her, but she said she got more into their music as time went on.

“I genuinely liked them the first time I heard them play, but warmed up to their entire musical endeavors the more I listened to them over the years,” Cameron said. “I respect that they can play a song that I love, and for a while, I can imagine I am at a Bush concert before Bush stopped touring.”

The Rochester, Ind., native said she had seen the band at least 15 times. She also said she was always excited to see it play.

“There is kind of comfort or warm nostalgia that washes over me when I hear they are playing,” she said. “Like the feeling you get when you see an old friend, but musically.”
Cameron’s favorite covers from 40% Steve are their versions of Bush’s “Machinehead” and Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down A Dream.”

Whether or not Clayton Anderson Band is a cover band, Anderson said he loved going out and performing for his fans.

“Playing our songs mean so much to us,” he said. “It’s been amazing. And we have all our friends and fans to thank for coming out every time and supporting us.”