First Cosmic Songwriters Festival set to take off May 17-20 in Bloomington venues
What began in the small space inside the downstairs Orbit Room in downtown Bloomington is ready to be launched as the Cosmic Songwriters Festival across four venues May 17 through 20.
Co-founders Pablo "Oso" Fuentes and Shaun McDermott are songwriters and musicians who love their craft and want to share the collaboration and synergy that comes when songs and songwriters spend time on a stage together, crafting music and listening to each other.
It's the formula they've used at the Orbit Room with its monthly Cosmic Songwriters Club, where they pair two songwriters together to share the stage, playing half the time and listening the rest. The special musical nights began in December 2021 and have become more than just a chance to showcase two area performers, according to the duo.
"It's not unusual to have somebody on stage not play 50% of the time," Fuentes explained about the songwriter's nights. "It's an open communication but it's not an open mic," which leads to each of the musicians sharing and riffing off the other when it's their turn to perform.
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"There is tremendous connection with the songwriters on stage and then with the audience," McDermott said. "We encourage new material."
That's the exactly the mix they hope to nurture with the festival, pairing oftentimes unlikely combinations of songwriters and musicians together, sharing their musical and lyrical essence.
Audience, participant response is part of the experience
Fuentes and McDermott admit surprise at how open audiences have been to the unique pairings, sometimes helping with suggestions as songs not fully formed are performed and tweaked on stage. Some songwriters have stopped performing just to hear the crowd's applause and encouragement as they begin again.
For the Cosmic Songwriters Festival, the span of talent will be from nationally known musicians to beginners.
"We connect them and make Bloomington a place for them to perform and to support them," Fuentes said.
"We give space for songwriters in our community," McDermott said, adding their hope is to both build a community of musicians locally and to help Bloomington become a music destination, much like Fuentes' former home, Austin, Texas.
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Both also perform with various groups. McDermott has played or now plays with Bated Breath, The Hungarian Slacks, The Monon Troubadours, Matixando, the Algorddims and Spacehorse and The Oso Blues Band, which is Fuentes' main musical project.
Both co-founders say Mike Klinge, better known as TV Mike and operator of The Orbit Room, is their first big supporter, providing a space and time for creative juices to flow.
"It's a good place to listen to music," added Fuentes.
Where you can enjoy the Cosmic Songwriters Festival
The Orbit Room will be one of the five venues for the four-night festival that will be May 17-20, with the final performances at 7 p.m. May 20 at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.
All participating songwriters will be "very well paid," Fuentes said, stating it's a way to help many of them further their careers.
The festival will be:
May 17 at 7 p.m. at the Orbit Room with Jaimee Harris, Luke Powers, Paul Bertsch, Copeland James, CJ Reichard and hopedaddy. Tickets will be by invitation or at the door on the day of the show.
May 18 at 7 p.m. at The Bluebird. Performers: Jason Wilber, The Local Honeys, Jarrod Dickenson, JP Ruggieri, Dakota Curtis and Rikki Jean. Tickets are $16.50 for adults and available at https://bit.ly/418q7YJ
May 19 at 7 p.m. at Blockhouse Bar with Kostas, Helen Darling, Scott Cook, Tommy Alexander, Silvia Josefina and Adam deWeber. Tickets are $12.50 for adults and available at https://bit.ly/3mi79Ql
May 20 at noon is a free music expo in Switchyard Park Pavilion. Music by Matt Lundquist, Rickie Maxwell, Hazy Hollows, Amanda Webb, Millaze and Lenox Monroe.
May 20 at 7 p.m. at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave., will be the final showcase with SG Goodman, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Charlie Jesseph, The Reverent Few, The Monon Troubadours and Oso Blues. Tickets are $18.50 for adults and available at https://bit.ly/3UkkNz5
A festival pass for $38.50 per person can be purchased for access to the shows May 18-20. Go to https://bit.ly/3MkF8lT.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington Cosmic Songwriters Festival set for May 17-20
