7 venues strong
Musicians from across the globe storm Bloomington for Lotus Fest

 

Brazilian beats, Afro-Cuban grooves and Jewish folk melodies comprise just a few sections of the eclectic musical lineup that will fill the Bloomington streets this weekend.

The downtown area will be packed with concerts at seven venues -- from The Bluebird to the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. In addition to these concerts, students can take in ethnic food, parades, free DJ shows and even a man on stilts.

The 13th annual Lotus World Music & Arts Festival will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater with Väsen, a Swedish acoustic band. This year, almost 30 bands from every corner of the globe will perform at the four-day event. From 7 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, music for those with diverse tastes -- and fans looking to discover new beats -- will fill seven stages, Lotus Director Lee Williams said.

"We have 28 artists and, of course, great diversity as always," he said. "There's always something for everyone's taste. The venues are the new thing this year -- something this town has never seen before. The Monroe Bank Tent covers half a block, and we're going to have some of the more rocking bands there."

Friday and Saturday have a lot of overlapping artists, but there are a few artists and events unique to Friday. For those looking for free entertainment, IU Hip Hop Congress will host a number of world DJ's from various bands and a turntable workshop with free admission at the Union Board's tent.

Advance passes for Friday and Saturday's concerts are $30 per day and $25 for students. Weekend passes are $50. If purchased on the day of the show, tickets are $35 per day and $27 for students.


The lineup



Annette Ezekiel, bandleader and accordionist of Gypsy klezmer group Golem, said she is looking forward to checking out fellow Jewish folk music acts. Fresh off a tour with Lotus veterans Balkan Beat Box, Golem is excited to make its first appearance at Lotus Festival.

"We heard from (Balkan Beat Box) that the audiences are really great and the rest of the music is really awesome," she said. "I want to see (Balkan Gypsy band) Kal. We're Americans doing Gypsy music. They're actually from Serbia."

Williams described Golem's sound as fantastic and exciting and said he become interested in them through Balkan Beat Box's label.

Ezekiel said Balkan Beat Box's show is up-beat and highly entertaining.

"Balkan Beat Box transforms a rock club into a dance club," she said. "Their musicianship is really strong. It's not like being in a show -- it's an experience."

People were "clamoring" for Balkan Beat Box so much that Lotus had to invite them back, Williams said.

Williams pointed to Issa as another notable act. Formerly known as Jane Siberry, Issa built her name as a Canadian icon in the music industry.

Going down the list, he said he was excited about all the acts -- everything from Yungchen Lhamo, an unaccompanied Tibetan singer, to Yerba Buena, who delivers Afro-Cuban grooves.

These bands are just a small cross section of the massive and varied artist lineup. Festival-goers are encouraged to explore various types and styles of music, Williams said.


More than just music



Festival processions from several Bloomington neighborhoods start Friday, converging at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Monroe County Courthouse. Saturday's festivities commence with the "Lotus in the Park" family event at noon at Third Street Park, where will be several performers and hands-on projects for all ages. At 5:15 p.m., participants will proceed from the park to festival headquarters on Kirkwood Avenue. The parade will be led by stilt dancer Sogbety Diomande from the Cote d'Ivoire.

Väsen will play at the opening ceremony. General admission is $15 and $10 for students, children and senior citizens. The event will culminate Sunday with performances by Yungchen Lhamo, ContraCantos and Srinivas Krishnan & Friends 2 p.m. at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.

Williams said there will be a reggae band from the Virgin Islands, and artists are making a point to come to the festival no matter what they have to do to get there.

"Tamir, a member of Balkan Beat Box, lives in Israel, and he hates flying, but he said, 'Oh I'll come back for Bloomington.' That doesn't happen very often."

-Lindsey Landis & Zack Teibloom