Ball State students will finally get to ask Leonardo whenBlessid Union of Souls takes the stage at Emens Auditorium.
The music of Blessid Union of Souls sings about real-lifesituations. Eliot Sloan's voice is soulful; Eddie Hedges and JeffPence possess a special beat and rhythm coupled with Tony Clark'sbaseline, and C.P. Roth's keys make the sounds that areageless.
Sloan, Pence, Hedges and Roth founded the group in 1990 inCincinnati. Clark joined the group in 1997 on its album "BlessidUnion of Souls."
Blessid Union of Souls has quietly established itself over thelast five years. The group's 1995 No. 1 hit, " I Believe," and its1999 smash, "Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me for Me)," went to the topof the charts.
The group took its name from a line in the hit comedy series"M*A*S*H."
Along with the group's signature tunes, the album "The Singles"includes new songs "Storybook Life," "... And Then She Hit Me," alive rendition of "Hey Leonardo" and a tremendous fan favorite, thepunk/reggae version of "I Believe."
Blessid Union has made guest appearances on "CBS This Morning,"Lifetime Television, "Entertainment Tonight," "Weekend Today,""Late Night With Conan O'Brien" and more.
The group was honored at the American Society of Composers,Authors and Publishers Awards Dinner in Los Angeles because "IBelieve" was the fourth most-played song on the radio.
Supermodel Cindy Crawford, one of the celebrities mentioned inthe song "Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me for Me)," liked the song somuch she even wrote Blessid Union a fan letter.
LUDO
Fresh from St. Louis, Ludo will open for Blessid Union of Soulsat 7 p.m. at Emens Auditorium.
Andrew Volpe, 23, and Tim Ferrell, 24, started the group theybegan touring coffee houses and small venues playing acoustic showsin January. Since then, the team of two has played more than 70shows in more than 30 cities, including New York City, Houston, andcities in Florida and Wisconsin.
Volpe sings lead and plays and rhythm guitar; Ferrell plays thelead guitar and provides background vocal.
While touring, Volpe and Ferrell began looking for additions tothe band. In the spring, Tim Convy, 23, joined as the keyboardplayer.
Marshall Fanciullo, 24, joined as the bassist. Matt Palermo, 19,plays the drums.
Over the summer, Ludo recorded its first album. The 11-trackalbum was released in August under the band's independent label,Redbird Records.
"People seem to be responding well and buying the album," Convysaid.
Ludo played its first show with all five members in August atthe Midwest Music Summit in Indianapolis.
Convy compared Ludo's sound to that of Weezer. He said oldiesand hardcore music also influences the sound.
"The songs are very story oriented," Convy said.
He said Ludo's concerts have been described as "a show you cantap your feet, bang your head and laugh hysterically all at thesame time."
Ludo has opened for bands The Big Wu and Longwave. The band'smembers will open for Reel Big Fish in December in Columbia, Mo.,and they are "very excited."
Volpe said he has great hopes for the band's future.
He said that in the next few years he sees the band going"ideally to the top." He then added "realistically to the top."
He said he also would love to see radio play expand as much aspossible.
"I'd like to be able to feel we have 20 different hometowns,"Volpe said.
Convy said he would like "to go from a band in a trailer to atour bus."
Ludo arrived in Muncie early and played to small crowd atStarbucks in the Ball State Bookstore Wednesday night. Volpe andFerrell played an acoustic set similar to the showed they playedbefore the other three members joined.
Tickets for the show are $10 for students and $15 for thepublic.
"School shows are always our favorite," Convy said. "We're kindof anxious to get stuff going here."
Performance -- 7 p.m. Friday at Emens Auditorium
Opening Act -- Ludo
Tickets - $10 BSU/ID
$15 for public
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