Bloomington, IN - I sat down with another one of WIUX’s Music Market headliners, Westhead. Westhead is an indie-folk band, located in Chicago, Illinois and Bloomington, Indiana. I sat down with band members Max DiFrisco, Avery McGuire, WIUX’s own Jimmy Diskin, Braeden Janes, and Reeder Vyain.
As always, I opened with the question that is rooted in the very fibers of Music Market:
What does the Bloomington music scene mean to you?
DiFrisco: Post Covid, it means so much more to bring a level of music back into the community. I feel like everyone needs it, and it’s that much more impactful. Every show means so much more on an emotional level.
The Midwest is underrepresented on a national stage, what does being from the Midwest mean to you guys?
DiFrisco: I was a part of the Chicago scene as a teenager, and had a lot of great gigs. It was very supportive, but I could tell there was a weird ceiling for Midwest bands. Like, ok great, you reach this level and now, you want to move to New York? Or L.A.? Which I do find very weird. But, I love being a part of that scene, and the Bloomington scene now. What I love about the college scene is that everyone just wants to make stuff, which is awesome. Which is inherently a Midwest thing: everyone wants to help everyone. In the Midwest, there is a prevalent feeling of being at home, and that is a hard thing to come by.
McGuire: I feel like I’m proud of the Midwest, I’ve seen a lot of stuff come out of the Midwest, and we are underrated. I’ve seen a lot of talent from here in Indianapolis and Chicago, and I think it comes from the “underwhelmingness” of the Midwest. It shocks people when they play good stuff and there’s this awesome underdog feeling.
To keep up with all things Westhead, follow them on Instagram, Bandcamp, and search Westhead on every streaming service! Visit HERE for more information.
