Fly Painted Feathers to support Native’s pre-tour Bishop show

The largest inspirations for the members of local band Fly Painted Feathers have been drinking Yoohoo before shows and road tripping to see the band Native.

Fly Painted Feathers’ lead singer Harlan Kelly said he and drummer Daniel Versweyveld have been Native fans since they saw Native play a show with another band from their hometown of Madison, Ind.

Kelly said the band has been one of their largest influences as musicians and it was always their dream to play with them someday.

That “someday” is Sunday.

“When we think about it we’re still like, ‘Dude, we’re playing for Native,’” Kelly said.

“It’s definitely an honor to play with them and the other bands as well.”
Fly Painted Feathers has only been playing together since October 2009. However, the band is starting off much like its idol, Native.

“The music scene in Bloomington already exists, but in Madison we had to really work for it,” Kelly said. “Since we began in my basement, we have definitely grown a lot.”

Kelly said change in music is inevitable. Native guitarist Ed O’Neill said he agreed and said music is a process.

“People often criticize us because our music has changed so much since our start in 2007,” O’Neill said. “I think people grow accustomed to what they like, and they don’t like when things change.”

O’Neill said he wishes people will at least listen to the new stuff.

“As we grow, we want our music to grow with us,” he said. “It’s going to happen naturally.”

O’Neill, who is currently working with the other band members on an album they hope to release next fall, said Native’s past albums were about growing up and relationships. He said the members’ current project is more about stepping outside of themselves and looking at social consciousness as a whole.

“We went from playing with kooky pedals to a more embracive sound that reflects our moods,” O’Neill said.

For its Sunday show at The Bishop, the band is playing with Fly Painted Feathers, Xerxes and Clouds As Oceans.

“We plan to play some old songs but a few of the new ones, too,” O’Neill said. “It’s the new ones that best represent where we are at right now as a band.”

Native is currently signed with record label Sargent House, and the band’s Facebook page has more than 4,100 fans as it continues to fill venues with every show.

“Bloomington will be our last stop before our tour starts,” O’Neill said. “We hope The Bishop show will be our best yet in Bloomington.”

After playing Cultureshock in 2010, O’Neill said he finds Bloomington to be a hip college town and looks forward to visiting the nature-filled campus.

“We hope to create a comfortable atmosphere for people who enjoy loud music,” O’Neill said. “We hope people will appreciate it.”