Red Bull Sound Select Tour Brings Free Music to Bloomington

Last Thursday night, September 18, the Red Bull Sound Select Tour Bus rolled through Bloomington, IL, making its second stop on their tour. This free concert series, sponsored by Red Bull, was headlined by St. Lucia and opened by The Electric Sons and Rose Quartz. Up to 500 fans made the rounds in Six Strings bar that night for some good drinks and great beats. 

 

 

The tickets for this 21+ concert were free via an online RSVP or $5 at the door. Upon walking in, each guest was provided a free Red Bull. The venue itself had a vintage Midwest rock charm that made the perfect atmosphere for the concert. The open dance floor was soon packed with people hungry for music.

 

The opening act, The Electric Sons, hit the night off with its indie-alt vibes. Lead singer Andrew Miller applauds this Red Bull series for its fervor to support up-and-coming bands.

 

“They want to see us succeed, and we do our best to give it back,” Miller said.

 

The Electric Sons derive their sound from a variety of mediums, as Miller previously worked in animation. Their music, described as “a kaleidoscope of sound,” gains inspiration from art, film and other visual avenues. 

 

 

Next, Rose Quartz pumped up the crowd with its electro-pop realness. The Denver, Colorado duo performed a mix of old and new, overlaying their synth-y trancelike sound with loose vocals that smoothed out the grittiness of their house beats. Their groovy song “All My Love,” off their “Flashlights” extended play (EP), was a crowd favorite. Rose Quartz was the perfect precursor for what was about to come.

 

 

By 10 p.m., the crowd was alive and ready for the much-anticipated St. Lucia, fronted by South African native, Jean-Philip Grobler. The band, now based in Brooklyn, has a synth-drive pop aura that was a definite crowd pleaser Thursday night. The dance floor was packed with fans and regulars alike, all waiting to be taken to the next level by St. Lucia. The crowd went wild for hits off their recent album, “When the Night,” and their self-titled EP. The tension that built during songs like “September” exploded when the band played their popular hit, “Elevate.” Grobler’s charismatic stage presence had the whole crowd jumping and singing along by the end. Other favorites were “All Eyes on You” and “Before the Dive.” 

 

 

The free concert was a success, to say the least. Students and locals mingled after the show, drunk from the power, music and maybe a few Red Bull vodkas. U of I senior, Chelsea Kline, attended the concert and applauded the Red Bull Sound Select Tour for bringing attention to musicians who tend to slip under the radar. 

 

“The fact that the concerts are free and hosted in college towns helps bring a new kind of music to people (students) who will spread the word through friends and social media,” Kline said.

 

This series gives both to the bands and to the small towns it passes through. Any opportunity for free music is a great one.