Cosmic Songwriter Festival includes national, area musicians on stage together
Oliver Wood, Carrie Newcomer, Emily Nenni and Gabe Lee are the musical headliners performing in this year's Cosmic Songwriter Festival May 15-18 in Bloomington. The festival, now in its second year, takes a musical act (solo or duo) and pairs them with a second solo or duo act — on the same stage at the same time. The two acts take turns playing and commenting on their music. They comment on the other act's music, too.
Cosmic format merges national and local groups, 2 at a time
The May 15-18 festival is the mightier version of the monthly (except for May, July and August) mini-festivals (at the Orbit Room on many first Wednesdays).
The annual festival draws in national touring acts — but mixes them with local musicians. In fact, this year the mix is 50/50. From May 15-18, audiences will get four days of original music at four different venues: the Orbit Room, the Bluebird, the Blockhouse and the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.
There will be three different pairings each night, with the headliner acts having an hour to perform.
Festival's first year: First Cosmic Songwriters Festival set to take off May 17-20 in Bloomington venues
The blend of genres and discussion is what Shaun McDermott and fellow Cosmic Songwriter cofounder Pablo "Oso" Fuentes call the "cosmic format" and results in a "cosmic connection" among songwriters, musicians and audiences. It springs from McDermott's and Fuentes' shared love of two things: music and meeting other musicians. Cosmic Songwriter is a nonprofit organization that introduces songwriters to audiences.
Monthly mini-festivals, is also 'I play. You play'
"I think it was Oso's idea, the Cosmic Songwriter endeavor," McDermott said in a Google Chat. At first, circa December 2021, the two men gathered a few songwriter friends in the Orbit Room. "We made it up on the spot and put people together on the stage at the same time and had them talk.
"Oso and his wife moved to Bloomington from Austin, Texas. They are a good example of people who live here just because they want to live here."
The cosmic format, with its pairings and repartee, lets the audience learn the backgrounds of both the songs and artists. As happens in improv theater, when artists combine simultaneously onstage, compelling dialog can happen.
"Last year some of the interactions were magical," McDermott said. It's "I play. You play." Then they talk.
Each Cosmic Songwriter event uses the cosmic format, from monthly Orbit Room events to the big-name annual festival.
All shows curated, no open mic
"Oso curates all the shows," McDermott said. That means no open mic. Each act is reviewed for selection. McDermott said Visit Bloomington's executive director Mike McAfee has helped in many ways, including joining a "listening party" as might-be participants send in their tapes.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/5br85fuz and scroll to "Apply Here" to find how to audition for an Orbit Room series spot.
Not every songwriter can play an instrument, and McDermott and Fuentes plan to connect musicians with singers in the future, when needed.
"We already connect songwriters with audiences," McDermott said.
Cosmic Songwriter Festival performers are paid from sponsor funding. Performers at the monthly showcases are currently not paid, although McDermott and Fuentes are working on grants and sponsorships to make that possible someday.
McDermott and Fuentes will perform on the festival's final night, May 18.
All profits go back into a fund for the monthly series. Both the monthly series and the annual festival are diverse. The series even offered a musical saw.
Cosmic Songwriter Festival 2024 lineup
Here's this year's Cosmic Songwriter Festival lineup. (The monthly series occur the first Wednesday of most months at the Orbit Room.)
May 15: Orbit Room (sold out) with pairings: Caleb Stine and Spectator Bird; Kay Krull and Rodeola; and Chris Dollar and Chris Sutton
May 16: The Bluebird Nightclub, 216 N. Walnut St. Pairings are: Emily Nenni and Gabe Lee; Dandelioness and Austin Lucas; and Jeremy Pinnell and Hank Ruff.
May 17: Blockhouse Bar, 205 S. College Ave. Pairings are: Melissa Carper and Tré Burt; Chicago Farmer and The Hammer & The Hatchet; and TV Mike and D&O.
May 18: Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave. Pairings are: Oliver Wood and Carrie Newcomer; Blue Cactus and Kassi Valazza; and Oso Blues and Monon Troubadours.
All-access festival passes are available for all four days, as well as single-day passes. Visit cosmicsongwriter.com or https://buskirkchumley.org/events/.
To play in a Cosmic Songwriter monthly showcase series, apply at https://tinyurl.com/mryfwh67 and submit recordings of your original songs.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Cosmic Songwriter Fest pairs national musicians with local on 4 stages
