BDMC Presents: Showcasing an Organization in One Day
BDMC Presents 2022 is scheduled to begin on April 15th at 4pm in Dunn Meadow. Free, all ages, no tickets required.
You’d be hard pressed to describe to me a situation where music could not enhance it. Even if not the focal point, I firmly believe music simply sparks emotion, boosting the mood of any event. Back when Bloomington Delta consisted of twenty members and relied on borrowed equipment, we thrived on adding music to spaces and others’ events. Naturally, this was exactly what the club needed, and I’m certainly grateful for both the exposure and playing opportunities that these welcoming organizations gave.
That said, myself and former co-president Sam Boland wanted more for the club in its infancy. We wanted people attending these events to know that BDMC was more than a band playing background music at an IU function. We wanted members of BDMC to showcase their diversity in styles and genres. We wanted independent artists in BDMC to have a chance to play for others. We wanted graduating musicians to receive an opportunity to play with specifically their friends one more time. In the earliest stages of BDMC, Sam and I saw that the organization was truly unique and deserved its own platform for the Bloomington community to recognize that uniqueness. From this desire, BDMC Presents came to life.
Initially, BDMC Presents would occur in a basement. Ranging from blues to jazz to hip-hop, all the club’s channels (literally channels in Slack) would have a set. We would sell merchandise, promote the club to new members, and invite anyone and everyone on campus. April 18th, 2020 was the scheduled date for the original BDMC Presents. Some globally spreading event intervened and that is all I shall say about that.
Fast forward to January of 2021 and BDMC Presents still sat at the forefront of our goals for the club. Obviously, the certain globally spreading event changed our approach to Presents, but through the power of masks, social distancing, and working with IU Open Air Venues, forty some musicians played to over 200 attendees (spread six feet apart) in Dunn Meadow on April 15th, 2021. That night, BDMC presented itself, truly, to the public. For what felt like the first time, BDMC’s key elements - inclusivity, connectivity, and the opportunity for music to exist without organizational barriers to entry - were displayed to an audience that could finally understand why the club is so important.
One year to the day, BDMC Presents will preside again in Dunn Meadow. April 15th 2022 marks the biggest event in the club’s short, three year history. Over sixty musicians backed by a professional audio engineering team, lighting crew, university financial support, and a proud group of student leaders will play for six hours to many sets of ears. Bloomington Delta represents an accessible form of music. The music club’s purpose centers upon giving musical opportunities, networks, and subjective experience to those who want it. Music should not go to die for those who don’t pursue it full time in college. BDMC creates a space for all those creative minds who love music. That space results in a beautifully varied day of sets, artists, sounds, and emotions. And now, Bloomington residents and the IU community can see that hodgepodge on full display.
