Pop group to return to Bloomington for performance

The opportunity to perform with his band members in Bloomington is a big deal for South Jordan lead vocalist Michael Hall.

“We’re super excited to come back here,” he said. “It’s weird when you come back to IU because you’re not really ‘in the loop,’ but it’s a great experience coming back because we haven’t had many opportunities to do so.”

This pop group, originally from Bloomington, will play a free show at 7 p.m. Oct. 5 in Dunn Meadow as part of the week’s IU Homecoming events sponsored by the IU Student Alumni Association in conjunction with Union Board.

Senior Kara Brooner, IUSAA vice president of Homecoming, said she is happy to showcase South Jordan.

“I’m really excited to present the South Jordan concert as the finale of Homecoming Week 2012,” Brooner said. “I’m hoping we can start the tradition of a Homecoming concert similar to the Little 500 week concerts. I think this is going to appeal to a variety of people, and I think it’ll be a special event for students, alumni and the Bloomington community. We also want the concert to pump the IU community up for the Homecoming game on Saturday.”

Bloomington beginnings
IU graduate Bobby Campbell, South Jordan’s keyboardist, said that when the group started out, dance marathons were popular venues that provided a way to spread its sound.

“How we got started originally as a band was playing at a lot of the dance marathons around all the colleges in the Midwest, and it was just a great way to get in front of people and start making fans,” Campbell said.

South Jordan played a set at last year’s IU Dance Marathon. Hall said performing at the event is always a positive experience.

“It’s always such an awesome event to be a part of,” Hall said. “You feel like you’re doing something really good, and if we can keep people awake during the hour that we’re playing, we’re doing our job.”

Moving to the music
Other than last year’s IUDM and the Oct. 5 performance, South Jordan rarely has the chance to play in Bloomington.

The group relocated to Nashville, Tenn., in 2011 to collaborate with other songwriters and producers such as Nathan Chapman, a country music producer who has worked often with Taylor Swift, and songwriter Josh Kear, who wrote Lady Antebellum’s Grammy-winning hit “Need You Now.”

Hall said the group has had a busy year touring with indie pop band He Is We and recently opening for the Parachute concert at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

“It was really cool for us because we’ve been crossing paths with them for a while, and to finally meet them and play a rockin’ show is sweet,” Hall said.

South Jordan is currently gearing up for another opening performance for Andy Grammer next month.

“It’s awesome to share the stage with amazing performers like that,” he said. “I’ve never seen him live before, so I’m excited to see that as well.”

As far as new music goes, Hall said the band is currently working on releasing a slew of songs, including a music video titled “Love Like Suicide.”

“We’re looking forward to the future and especially to our new video, which we will be pushing within the next month or two,” Hall said. “Our new music is a big departure from our old music, and we’re sort of rebranding our style. We hope to gain lots of new fans from this.”