Bishop plays lily pad to Frog Eyes

The Bishop housed a performance Friday night that was a spiritual experience for some.

Carey Mercer and the accompanying members of nationally touring band Frog Eyes made a visit to Bloomington. The concert was booked through Spirit of ’68 Promotions, and local Bloomington artists Tammar & The French & Indian War were the opening act.

Though attendance was surprisingly low, the dedicated fans that did come out were mesmerized, practically hugging the stage. Their eyes bulged amphibiously at every strum, snare, shout and wail from Frog Eyes’ set.

Trying to explain Frog Eyes’ sound is as futile an exercise as describing the surreal or trying to convey the landscape of a dream. The band has been aptly described in one Allmusic review as “a poetry slam for the criminally insane.”

In the musical commotion swirling about the venue, one thing was for certain: This particular indie-frog has captured its select niche audience like a fly.

Frog Eyes’ entire set was full of energy and dancing. The band showcased its new album “Paul’s Tomb: A Triumph,” along with some older works, employing a pair of guitars, drum kit and synthesizer. Instead of relying on the endless keyboard synth-pads and electronics many contemporary bands often choose, the experimental band pushed the limits of guitars to achieve unique sounds.

Frog Eyes is more complicated live than on its albums. As if the band’s sound weren’t already chaotic and foreign enough, the close feel of the distortion and maxed-out synthesizer fuzzed the music into new, uncharted timbres.

After the band performed “Latex Ice Age,” Mercer began to open up to the crowd.

“This song is our oldest and therefore most cherished song,” he said. “It’s for my woman and thousands of trees, miles away.”

The confessions quickly became ramblings as the unabashed frontman carried on, speaking aimlessly between songs like “Cloud of Evil” and “Bushels.” After fact-checking some wandering anecdotes with the rest of the band, Mercer told the crowd of his original approach to the night.

“I was going to try and say as little as I could, because the most ungodly things have been spewing out of my mouth lately,” Mercer said.

No one seemed to mind, and the crowd diligently followed the storytelling and absurdities.

“I’m glad the venue isn’t that packed tonight, but Frog Eyes probably aren’t,” Bard said. “It makes it more intimate.”

Mercer noted the closeness as well.

“You can’t have conversations like this with 5,000 people,” he said. “Although, I would probably trade this conversation for 5,000 people.”

Frog Eyes finished with an unorthodox encore. Without leaving the stage, the band asked fans to imagine they walked out and came back in on account of thunderous applause — a final awkward jest to wrap up the night’s sublimely odd tunes.