Indy In-Tune

Event Review: The Show

Last Friday I had the opportunity to attend "The Show" at Coal Yard Coffee/5547 Project Gallery in the Irvington part of Indy, and I'm immensely delighted that I did.

Upon entering the space, you could immediately feel a warm,buzzing-but-cozy atmosphere. From the 18 artists with their creations on display, to the notably talented musical acts of JEUN and Landon Keller, to the building space itself and its unique decor (5547 Project Gallery is a very cool space, created by owner David Jackson and his team using mostly recycled and reclaimed local components), the local Coal Yard coffee and Fountain Square Brewing vendors, it was pleasing to all of the senses.

One of the first things that caught my eye was that there was a very large crowd, made up of young, old, male, female, and people all colors of the rainbow. The music was perfectly suited for the venue and the atmosphere of the event. You could hear and appreciate it, without it being too loud to enjoy a conversation with guests and artists.

I asked my friend how he would describe the "feeling or vibe" of the environment and without hesitation he said, "Human natural. Not manufactured, and...it's comfortable;" I felt that was a very appropriate response.

The decor of the place was absolutely spectacular and like nothing I'd ever seen previously. The light fixtures were noteworthy; one fixture consisted of a log with lit up bulbs inserted and rusty looking chains wrapped around it. There were Edison Bulbs, metal fans, (as in antique fans that blow air, made of metal; not people who prefer heavy metal music), an iron stove--something interesting to look at no matter where your eyes looked; whether it was the art on display, the building itself, the musicians, or the people.

I had the chance to meet Amy Ward, the force behind this phenomenal event, and I was moved by her sincerity and dedication to these events and her role in managing art & music shows for artists by artists. Amy was constantly being approached by guests of the event; she's a popular person, and upon meeting her it's easy to see why. Her drive, passion and enthusiasm for what she does was evident and endearing.

After hearing only the first few notes of the sister duo "JEUN," and I knew I was a fan. These ladies play harp, piano, and sing with voices that are both beautiful and strong. They sing and play beautifully together, and performed an entertaining set consisting of both originals as well as covers. I remember hearing unique and interesting covers ranging from Katy Perry to Sam Smith, and their originals were breathtaking. I don't know the title, but I heard one song that was particularly alluring that was sung entirely in French. Jeun is just beginning their endeavors as this duo, but they are without a doubt a group to watch. You can ready my brief interview with Jenny and Julia Perillo, a.k.a. "JEUN" below.

When JEUN's performance concluded, Landon Keller began to play. Keller never disappoints and this was no exception. He performed a particularly interesting version of "Crazy" by Gnarles Barkley that was unique, soulful and mesmerizing. His performance of "Jackson Square" was moving, as was his set in whole. Landon played to a good sized, enthusiastic crowd who seemed like there was nowhere else they'd rather be at that moment. His style is very raw, and very real, and I recommend seeing him whenever you get the chance. (Landon was kind enough to answer some interview questions for me that you can read here)

According to the event page on Facebook Saturday morning, I wasn't the only one who was thrilled by the event. Here are some quotes from the event page:

"The event was superb and you (Amy Ward) were great to work with. 5547 Project Gallery and Coal Yard Coffee is a shining gem in our vibrant and progressing Irvington."

"Outstanding. So glad to meet you. Beautiful space, beautiful art, loved the music, good coffee, good local beer. ... It was really a perfect event overall."

"Thank you! We had a great time, completely impressed with the turn out, the music, the art, the atmosphere!"

"We stopped by tonight. Great music and an awesome latte!"

"What a terrific event! Thank you to Amy Ward for organizing and all the talented artists and musicians for sharing your gifts with us!"

Upcoming events at Coal Yard Coffee/5547 Project Gallery space include:

This Friday is comedy night, 3rd Friday is open mic with special guest Patrick Collins, and the following evening is their house concert series with headliner Dell Zell from 6-9:00 p.m.

Photo credit Casey Russell of Captured by CJ Photography

Interview with Jenny and Julia Perillo of JEUN

Amy Foxworthy (AF): Tell me about Jeun.how did you form, when, why, etc.

JEUN: We are sisters who both love music and one day we just decided to play together but we're actually 2 of 5 siblings that all play music and have done it our whole lives. So I guess we've been playing since we were little.

AF: Tell me about your sound, what do you want people to know about your music/sound? How would you describe what you do to someone who has never heard/seen you before?

JEUN: We are soulful and find inspiration from various types of music with influences in jazz, pop, euro pop, etc.

AF: How did you start playing out in public, for audiences? Tell me about your first public Jeun performance; or, any interesting/amusing/horrifying moment from any life performance.

JEUN: This is our first performance as "Jeun" but we have performed together outside of Jeun throughout our lives.

AF: Harp hardest part: getting it there, or keeping it tuned?

JEUN: Haha! Good question. Definitely getting it there. My grandmother drove a wagon that had a sticker on the back that said "official harp transport vehicle." She is the one that taught me how to play and also how delicate and fragile these instruments are.

AF: Past musical endeavors/bands, projects you'd like to mention?

JEUN: I (Jenny) was in a band called "JennySteve" and have worked with the Midnight Lamps, Life Before Cars and my girlfriend, Ari and I have collaborated in the past for Women317, RAW events, a benefit for Equality at Radio Radio. We made a CD with our mom once for her Label called "Fruit Of The Spirit" and Julia was a finalist in the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative this past year.

AF: Do you have a musical guilty pleasure, or, what is an album or track you own that would surprise people? Like, are you a closet Barbara Streisand fan? Tony Orlando and Dawn? What is it? I won't tell anyone.

JEUN: Haha we listen to everything with pride! (Julia adds: " Barbra Streisand!!! She has been such a huge inspiration to me and her voice - I could literally listen to her sing everyday and never get tired of it."

AF: Growing up, or, whenever music started being important in your life, what kinds of things were you listening to, or what stuff was inspiring and motivating you?

JEUN: We grew up around music.. my mom and grandmother were both professional musicians and taught lessons at their homes for the entirety of our childhoods and our Aunt is a jazz singer in California and Las Vegas. We didn't have TV but we had a house full of instruments. We moved a lot and so while we didn't have many friends, we would hang out with each other, singing and practicing. We grew up with the greats in Jazz, classical, Italian, French, musicals.. all of it. We didn't get into pop music and contemporary until high school.

AF: Tell me your earliest memory of music impacting you in some way.

JEUN: I went to a harp convention in Philadelphia once and a French harpist walked on stage with a tiny lap harp that he had named "Annabelle." He played a song called "Le Feulles Morte" "Autumn Leaves" it was simple, pure, clean, and perfect. I fell in love with music that day. I let go of the feeling that it had to be about the performance, about impressing others and just needed to be from the soul. He was an ordinary guy that had the ability to be fully present and calm on stage and play a simple song that would quiet an entire audience. I wanted to feel that peace.

AF: What can we expect to see/hear from you this Friday at "The Show?"

JEUN: We are excited about this show! You will hear some originals as well as some covers.

AF: Where can we see you next, and where can we follow what you're doing and see upcoming shows, etc.?

JEUN: We are just starting up and don't have any upcoming shows booked yet but plan on expanding our internet presence and are excited to see what the future holds!

Amy Foxworthy is a writer, activist, music junkie, and professional hell-raiser. There is probably no truth to any other rumors you may have heard about her.