Indianapolis jam band The Twin Cats, famed by their Super Bowl Village and ESPN SportsNation performances last year, will return to the Be Here Now stage for the first time since 2010 on Friday.
The Twin Cats gained a respective local following since forming in 2004. Compared to other local artists in the Indy music scene, they stand out by fusing an array of genres together such as jazz, funk and rock, and then improvising within each song to ensure that each performance is different than the one prior.
“They break barriers and their musicianship is crazy,” said opening act Diphox, a disc jockey that specializes in spinning all styles of music. “It’s cool, it’s funky, it’s jazzy and people get wild to it.”
Diphox has seen The Twin Cats live multiple times and has left each time being impressed by not only their musicianship, but by their local following as well.
“If it were in Indy, it’d be shoulder to shoulder but I’m still predicting a huge turnout.” Diphox said.
They frequently perform to crowds at the size of 300 to 550 at the northside Indianapolis watering hole Mousetrap Bar & Grill. Drummer Adam Catron said the Mousetrap was the first venue they were able to build a crowd. He said they’ve performed there for about eight years, and believes it’s the venue where they’ve grown as a band.
Outside of Indianapolis, The Twin Cats have played venues in Wisconsin, St. Louis, Detroit, New York and Chicago. The Twin Cats have also shared the stage with other notorious jam bands such as Umphrey’s Mcgee.
Junior journalism and telecommunications major Lacy Bursick has seen The Twin Cats perform live several times, including various festivals throughout the Midwest.
“They’re a funk band that you definitely want to see perform live,” Bursick said. “I like them because they are unique and really awesome live, especially for being local. Their trademark thing is face-melting.”
The band is working on a 3-track EP and is planning to release at least three other EPs, as well as a live album later this year. They plan to play at Summercamp again, a three-day music festival held in Chillicothe, Ill.
Doors open at 8 p.m. Friday with bands set to begin around 10 p.m. The show is $7 for all ages.
