Music venue to celebrate 1st anniversary

Since September 2009, the Bishop has been a stage for local and national performers to showcase their talent to Bloomington.
 
Racebannon, Good Luck, Swords of Exactly and more performers who have yet to be named will help The Bishop celebrate its anniversary at 8 p.m. Sept. 4.

There will be no cover for the event.

Located at the corner of Fourth and Walnut street, it is situated comfortably in the downtown area of Bloomington.

Owner and founder Steve Westrich said he started The Bishop as a response to the lack of live music venues in town.

Westrich said he drew inspiration from Second Story, a former nightclub in Bloomington that showcased local and national underground talent.

“I’d like to think [The Bishop] is the new Second Story,” he said. “We’re giving a home to live music in Bloomington again.”

Westrich also said part of The Bishop’s appeal is its ability to give local talents with star potential regular opportunities to perform, similar to how Second City did.

Both the White Stripes and R.E.M. performed at Second City before they became famous.

Despite having a bar, The Bishop offers admission to concerts for people 18 and older.
Booking agent Andy Goheen said The Bishop also has one of the best sound systems in Bloomington for the size of their venue.

These and other unique features draw in huge crowds, Goheen said.

“All college students want to come,” he said. “If a group of students want to go to a concert, and some are 21 and some are not, they can all still go, and people will come from all over to see their favorite bands.”

Local and popular bands including Tortoise, The Ataris, The Delicious and The Hollows have all played or will be playing at The Bishop.

Tyler Damon, frequent performer at The Bishop and drummer for the band Kentucky Nightmare, said the camaraderie between the performers, workers and customers is what makes the venue so appealing.

“I know everybody here, and it’s sort of like ‘Cheers’ in a lot of ways,” he said.

“Everyone who works here is a really great person, very friendly and very community oriented.”

Westrich said he likes to book bands he believes in and respects, even if they aren’t as well known.

“What helps us succeed is the abundance of local talent,” he said. “We are a venue willing to take a chance, and I’m proud of that.”

Goheen said he hopes this night will attract music fans from around the area, whether they are familiar with the bands or not.

“The Bishop is the only place I’ve seen where people randomly come to see a concert even if they don’t know the band,” he said. “They come because they just want to hear really awesome live music.”