Record Labels
Auris Apothecary
This not-for-profit microlabel focuses on releasing underground art such as drone, electronic, avant-garde and metal. They emphasize innovative, hand-made packaging as well as a variety of formats including cassette, floppy disks, CDs, etc.
Artists: Hail Architeuthis!, Eddy Price, Pendra Gon, Dante Augustus Scarlatti, Unholy Triforce
BlueSanct
Recently celebrating their 15 year anniversary, BlueSanct has been a staple for DIY and experimental music enthusiasts.
Artists: dReKKa, Elephant Micah, Turn Pale, Vollmar, and more…
BlueSanct Website, BlueSanct Tumblr
Crossroads of America (XRA)
Started in 2008 by members of local band husband&wife, XRA has a solid start with local and regional bands on its roster, and annual XRA Fest event, and a monthly mini-disc music subscription program called Laminar Excursion Monthly.
Artists: husband&wife, Alexander the Great, Rodeo Ruby Love, Chemic, Metavari, and more…
www.xrarecords.com
A sister-label to Secretly Canadian, Dead Oceans also operates in Bloomington and is distributed by S.C. Distribution, but also has a base in Austin, TX.
Artists: Akron/Family, The Tallest Man on Earth, Bishop Allen, Phosphorescent, John Vanderslice and more…
Eradicator Records
Bloomington’s own gritty and dirty rock and roll label specializes in punk, garage, and noise bands.
Artists: The Perennials, The Horribly Wrong, Jerk Alert, and more…
http://eradicatorrecords.bigcartel.com
Flannelgraph Records
Flannelgraph Records is small, fairly new record label based in Bloomington, Indiana. In 2010, Flannelgraph co-released a 24-disc, 3″ CD subscription club called Laminar Excursion Monthly with fellow Bloomington label Crossroads of America Records. The label also released instrumental holiday benefit album in which the proceeds were donated to a charity of each artists’ choice. Their next planned release is a solo album from Bloomington hero Mike Adams (husband&wife).
Artists: Chad Serhal, Osteoferocious, and Mike Adams At His Honest Weight
From Scratch Records
A new independent label started in 2010 by a group of music enthusiasts and friends. Their demo policy: “If we have beer in the fridge, we will listen to your demo”
Artists: Gardendale & Berkley
http://fromscratchrecords.wordpress.com
Gulcher Records
Legendary No-wave, New-wave, Punk label started in Bloomington in the mid-1970′s.
Artists: Dancing Cigarettes, Gizmos, MX-80 Sound, Panics, John Cougar Mellencamp, and more…
In The Fridge Records
A small label started by friends and IU undergrads, this small size indie releases few albums a year but works hard to get them in your hands!
Artists: Eric Radoux, The Elegant Bachelors, weakness, The Cosmetics
http://itfrecords.blogspot.com
The first sister-label to Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar is Bloomington-based and distributed by S.C. Distribution. It boasts an impressive roster of national indie artists.
Artists: Dinosaur Jr., Bon Iver, Ladyhawk, Black Mountain, Okkervil River, Gayngs, The Besnard Lakes and more…
Plan-It-X Records
Started in 1994, this Do-It-Yourself punk label has made a name for themselves by sticking to their motto “If it ain’t cheap, it ain’t punk”. The label is run by Chris Johnston and is known for doing business its own way, demonstrating its belief that major record label practices are not the only way to be successful.
Artists: Ghost Mice, Halo Fauna, The Bananas, Operation: Cliff Clavin, Antsy Pants, Matty Pop Chart, Defiance, Ohio
A major indie label which is headquartered in Bloomington, along with sister labels Jagjaguwar and Dead Oceans. The facility also houses its own distribution company S.C. Distribution and Bellwether Manufacturing.
Artists: Antony and the Johnsons, Jens Lekman, Damien Jurado, Magnolia Electric Co., BLK JKS, Yeasayer, Zero Boys, and more…
St. Ives
The baby of the Secretly Canadian family, St. Ives is a specialty label, based in Bloomington, which only presses limited release vinyl LPs. The label has a strict anti-waste policy and requires all album artwork to be hand-crafted using “salvaged material”. Also, it is distributed by S.C. Distribution
Artists: Animal Collective, Vampire Hands, Horns of Happiness, Microphones, Mirah, The Impossible Shapes, and many more…
As Secretly Canadian’s DIY roots began to grow, it needed to find a way to get its albums to the hands of fans, thus SC Distribution was started. Not only does it distribute releases from all 3 related labels, it also carries releases from K Records, Asthmatic Kitty, Western Vinyl, Suicide Squeeze Records, and many others.
Entertainment Promoters and Organizations
B.E.A.D: Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District
BloomingTalent Entertainment
Planning a wedding? Corporate event? Birthday party? Graduation party?
Or maybe just a party, just to have a party? Now you can make it a special event that everyone will remember!
Herm Productions: Alex Schneider’s promotion and lighting company, bringing the best dance, Electronic, Funk, and Jam Bands to town.
Live From Bloomington: One of IU’s Union Board committees dedicated to promoting local music on campus. Also puts out an annual compilation album of local artists for charity.
Rock Paper Scissors
“We specialize in publicity and marketing (sometimes called promotion or promo in other countries) in the U.S. for “world music” and reggae labels, artists, websites, etc.”
http://www.rockpaperscissors.biz/
Spirit of 68 Promotions
“Spirit of ’68 Promotions was founded under the notion of bringing the best and brightest artists from across the country to Bloomington. Turning a blind eye to genres or musical prejudices, we do what we can to get as diverse a lineup as possible into the stages and basements of Bloomington.”
Verbal Terrorism Productions
A space for creativity. We are a free production company helping local/area/regional and touring artist to set up gigs and shows in Bloomington IN. We work with any artist and any type of artist from singer/songwriters to bands, to poets, to dancers, to actors. Though we are specifically interested in women performers we do not limit ourselves to only working with female artists. We can also arrange free lodging for touring artists and openers for your shows. We work with a wide range of artists and keep changing who we work with all the time, trying to expand the artists reach to the people as much as possible.
Mission: To provide the means & the way for art out side the box in the Bloomington Area.
