Bloomington is often blessed by the presence of indie giants. Sufjan Stevens, The Appleseed Cast, Dinosaur Jr--the list is miles long and capable of inducing jealously to other less-than-hip college towns in the Midwest.
So when Built To Spill crossed through town last week, the excitement permeated the air outside of the Bluebird as a large line winded into the venue.
My fellow Live Buzzer Katie and I arrived just as Disco Doom, the opening band that hailed from Switzerland, ended their set with a chorus of chugging guitars--an epic closing if there ever was one.
Once the band left the stage, the crowd began to grow anxious for the arrival of their indie vets, and once Built to Spill solemnly walked on stage and picked up their instruments, the packed Bluebird erupted with cheers as the band immediately threw itself into the set.
"Velvet Waltz" emerged after the band's lengthy, almost arena-rock style guitar intro, with minor notes crying from underneath Doug Martsch's passionate pleas. Breaking into a power-driven waltz, the song immediately blended into "Traces," which sounded strikingly like the Cure (but in a good, not-really-a-ripoff kind of way).
With little banter between songs, save for the guy behind me incessantly yelling a request for "Car," the band ripped through their set, living up to their legend only a few songs in. There was a tangible devotion emanating from the crowd, as they excitedly cheered for each song the band threw at them.
Charging through with a melodic bassline and rigid beat for "Untrustable/Pt. 2 (About Someone Else)," BTS had the crowd cheering three chords in as they led into "Center of the Universe."
Playing through songs like "Alarmed," "Wherever You Go" and the guitar haze of "Stop the Show," the band rolled right into their last song, "One Thing," that included an extended jam interlude that droned over the buzzed and boozed crowd.
As soon as the band left the stage, the crowd began to chant for an encore until BTS returned with one of the best set lists the fans could have asked for. As "Car" began, the crowd cheered, swayed and sang along, as they did for the remaining songs: "Big Dipper," "Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss" and "Carry the Zero."
As the show ended, the crowd reluctantly left the venue, still humming and holding on to their favorite songs of the night, and already anticipating the next time their beloved Built To Spill rolls through Bloomington.
By Kelsey McArdle
