Amidst the rain and typical dreary December weather, there was one bright spot in Bloomington on Monday night at The Bishop. Local group Chandelier Ballroom and others provided a much-needed escape from the abysmal weather and the fact finals are around the corner.
The excitement expressed by Ballroom members Sean Armie and Steven Elmlinger about new drummer John Concannon proved more than justified. Concannon provided a powerful and enthusiastic backdrop to the pop-rock fundamentals of the group. With bassist Cameron Thompson added to the mix, Ballroom sounded authoritative and commanding. The strong backdrop allowed for Elmlinger and Armie to provide a high-energy show up front.
Ballroom played a seven-song set with only two songs from their recent EP Long Division. They also covered "Strange Overtones" by David Byrne and Brian Eno, and the remaining four songs were new originals, which gave a vision into where the band is heading in the future. The opening song, which has no name, was a perfect display of the high-energy and hard hitting pop-rock the band can produce. "Creepster," the group's third song of the night, brought in more of a indie-pop feel, but the strong supporting back drop was never lost.
Ballroom's music makes you feel like they are taking you somewhere else, beyond the dark back room that was The Bishop. Most of the beats and rhythms of their songs are powerful enough to stay in your head beyond the show, keeping Ballroom's vibe with you long after it was over.
Baby and Hide, Skeletons, and Gauntlet Hair also performed. Gauntlet Hair went on last and lived up to their reputation of loud and forceful performance.
Overall, the performances at The Bishop Monday night broke through the misery outside and provided a much-needed rush heading into finals.
Post by Will Gryna
