Netherfriends to play The Bishop

The Bishop will provide two things Shawn Rosenblatt says he values in his band’s shows: an intimate setting and an interested audience.

The Netherfriends, which consists of Rosenblatt and a rotation of his friends, will perform at 7 p.m. today at The Bishop.

The Netherfriends, of the DIY Lateral label, recently took a break from a 50 songs in 50 states project, but Rosenblatt said the band maintained a good level of productivity during the break.

He created more ambient and experimental loops, something he called atypical. He paired these musical compositions with video projects. The resulting album, “Alap,” was released New Year’s Day.

Tonight’s show promises to deliver similar ambient layers of sound, Rosenblatt said. Using three loop pedals, he coordinates noise he makes from his guitar, keyboard and voice to create songs unique to each show and venue.

“I don’t really play songs from my albums in shows,” Rosenblatt said. “I’m basically building the song before everyone’s eyes.”

The experimental and constructive nature of the Netherfriends’ music attracts listeners like sophomore Seth Mutchler.

“I really wanted to see Netherfriends at Pitchfork (Music Festival) but had to miss their set, so I’m really excited that they’re coming to Bloomington,” Mutchler said. “They just write exceptional pop music and by listening to them, I can tell they put on a great
live show.”

Rosenblatt also said smaller shows make his music possible. He lives on tour — from show-to-show — and has experienced some difficulties along the way.

“There are always some snags, but it has been an interesting ride,” he said. “Flaky musicians make touring hard, but every tour seems to get a little better. It’s a humbling experience.”

Throughout the tour, the Netherfriends have had drummers come and go, which Rosenblatt said is unfortunate but something he deals with.

Despite the hardships, Rosenblatt highlighted the influence of such experiences on the formation and course of the Netherfriends.

To lesser-known artists, the necessity of resourcefulness and the maintenance of and dedication to music is important, Rosenblatt said.

Rosenblatt said he values any chance to share his music and that any audience is an audience, regardless of its size.

“Bands that instantly get big and play for a thousand people miss that process of formation as a small band,” Rosenblatt said. “If I ever get that big and grow to that, I would still be really grateful that I could play to smaller audiences.”