Who: The Why Store
Where: Be Here Now
When: 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. March 5
Cost: $7 over 21, $15 under 21
Drink Specials:
$2 PBR pints
$3 Long Islands
$4 Domestic bottles
$6 Premium well doubles
As a band that originated in the late 80s here in Muncie, The Why Store is back for a night of fun. It will perform at Be Here Now March 5 as part of the "Stuck in Muncie Spring Break Party."
Chris Shaffer is the lead singer and songwriter of The Why Store. He reminisces on the time he first performed in the Be Here Now venue in 1987, when it was called Headliners. It was an open mic night and he did an acoustic performance.
Shaffer said enjoys performing at Be Here Now because the people there really care about music.
“[Be Here Now is] very supportive of original music,” Shaffer said. “That’s why I love playing at Be Here Now. Whitney Lewis, [owner of Be Here Now], just supports what I’m about with music.”
Performing back in Muncie means he can catch up with old friends and go back to the band’s roots.
Consisting of three Ball State students and a drummer residing in Indianapolis, The Why Store banded in the late 80s. It independently recorded "Welcome to the Why Store" in 1993 and "Inside the Why Store" in 1994.
After the local success of these albums, record labels started contacting the band. The Why Store signed to a subsidiary of MCA Records called Way Cool Music.
In 1996, The Why Store was one of the Top 20 albums and sold 200,000 copies. Its first single, “Lack of Water,” became a No. 1 hit on Triple-A-Radio.
Some of the artists the band has shared the stage with are John Mellencamp, George Clinton and Ben Harper.
Though the band split in 2000, seven years later Shaffer decided to reincarnate The Why Store. He brought along new members: Deric Rush as lead guitar, Dan Hunt as bass and John Gray as drummer.
Andy Stokes, organizer for Be Here Now, said he enjoys how Shaffer really puts everything into The Why Store’s performances.
“He puts his heart and soul into his music,” Stokes said. “It’s his passion. You can see it onstage. It’s what he loves to do.”
Stokes hopes The Why Store will showcase some of its news songs from its album that is in the works.
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