The Bluebird is a centerpiece of the Bloomington bar scene and it’s all because of live music. Opened 51 years ago, the bar has hosted artists the entire time. 

“We’re unique that we have a music venue like this in a college town,” Bluebird owner Dave Kubiak said.

While the Bird prefers to host established artists, it also gives local Bloomington bands a chance to get their start in the music industry. If a band performs well enough with customers, they can move on to headline weekends and perform at the club regularly. One such band that has achieved this success is Backyard Function, an IU student rock band. 

“I love performing [at the Bluebird]. It is my favorite thing to do in the world,” Backyard Function lead singer Alyssa Gallarneau said. 

Backyard Function has a rotating cast of members that come and go with graduation, acting as a foundation for student musicians to get their start. When Gallarneau joined, the band had been opening at the Bluebird. A year later, they were given the opportunity to headline a weekend show and continue to maintain that status.  

 “Once you pick up momentum (and if there’s a lot of people itching and eager to see you), Dave will get us on the schedule,” Gallarneau said. 

Successful college bands like Six Foot Blonde, Umphrey McGee, and The Main Squeeze all got their start at the Bluebird and now release studio albums, extended plays, and singles while touring the country as well. Outside of bands, individual artists have used their experience and connections from the Bird in a professional music career, such as Bobby Wooten who recently performed with David Byrne, lead singer and guitarist of the Talking Heads. 

“It’s interesting to always see an act on their rise to becoming stars,” Kubiak said. “It’s always fun to see them at this level because you’re so close to the act.” 

The band’s success doesn’t come from performing at the Bluebird itself, but by developing a fan base out of the many audience members. By performing at the bar, artists accumulate a fan base that will support future projects, releases, and shows outside the Bird. While anyone can perform at the Bluebird, not everyone can thrive in it. 

“A lot of the band’s success comes from people. That is the foundation of our success: having supporters and people that come to the shows,” Gallarneau said. 

Since performing at the Bluebird, Gallarneau has released one single, Let Yourself Grow, and is currently working on an EP, recording out of Colombus Ohio. Likewise, other members of the band have worked as studio musicians for other projects. Even graduated students like Camden Stewart, former guitarist of Backyard Function, still release music. 

“[The Bluebird]’s given me a home to start bringing this material to different students or demographics of people that come to the show,” Gallarneau said. 

Backyard Function is the latest of many bands who have gotten their musical start at the Bluebird. Building a foundation for their career on-stage, Bluebird bands continue refining their craft to continue their musical careers post-college. 

“It’s been such a gift to be able to give all these memories and fun nights to our graduating seniors, juniors, and kids who turn freshly 21,” Gallarneau said. “It’s so fun being people’s 21st birthday or their first night out and giving them those special memories.”