We The Living draws fans to Hoosier Den

Students gathered at the Hoosier Den at Foster Quad on Wednesday night to listen to the unique sounds of the indie-rock band, We The Living.

The band, which has been praised by both Perez Hilton and fans for its meaningful lyrics and melodious sounds, captured the attention of attendees.

“It’s exactly the stuff I love to listen to,” freshman Melanie Schafranek said.

The Hoosier Den was transformed into a music venue with a table selling We The Living albums, shirts and posters, while free food and low lighting set the mood. 

The performance began upbeat as the band played with the same enthusiasm they would have used if they played in front of hundreds of people.

“No matter where we are playing we always try to give the same high energy,” said Matt Holmen, the band’s guitarist.

We The Living has yet to build a strong fan base in Bloomington and, for this reason, it chose to perform at the small, intimate Hoosier Den as opposed to playing at the Bluebird Nightclub, Holmen said. The band members said they hope to perform at a larger venue on their next visit to IU.

Sophomore Joey Price,  who has seen We The Living perform before, once at the Warped Tour, said he would be surprised if the band did not build a sizeable fan group here. 

“They’re the new age soft punk rock with relatable lyrics,” Price said.

The band’s tour manager, Adam Miltenberger, said We The Living’s music can best be described as melodic rock. 

“Similar to the Fray, maybe a little more rockin’ with the intensity of a Coldplay show,” Miltenberger said.

He added fans can receive a free demo CD when they join the band’s mailing list on its Web site. However, some fans, even those new to their music, were eager to own the band’s music immediately.

“I love it,” Schafranek said. “I’m going to buy a few copies of their CD.”