September 29 was not just another Wednesday for fans of the indie band Bear In Heaven.  The Brooklyn-based trio played at Ithaca’s local bar, Castaways, preceded by two opening acts.

        Oberhofer was the first opening act, starting fashionably late at precisely 9:15 p.m.  These four young men were a combination of hipsters and couch potatoes but could not be underestimated for their musical talents.  With a lead singer who looked like the missing Jonas brother, the band had a good indie rock sound reminiscent of Neon Trees and Vampire Weekend.  The xylophone-playing guitarist gave the band an extra flair (aside from the unique name) as well.  Oberhofer is definitely a band to look out for.

        Twin Sister could easily be described as a rock-infused Imogen Heap similar to the Cranberries.  The crowd doubled to watch this quintet play, consisting of a female vocalist and four other men who worked together to create an outer space feel.  The audience was entranced with the breathy vocals and the layered sounds of synthesizers and keyboards.  It seemed like everyone was in their own personal bubble of music.

        Finally, Bear In Heaven made their way to the stage.  The lead singer and guitarist had mustaches that seemed inspired from Inglorious Bastards, while the drummer pulled off a full beard.  The guys said Ithaca was so much better than Brooklyn, and it was a “deep pleasure” to come to Ithaca on a random Wednesday night.  Judging from the shouts of excitement, the crowd didn’t mind at all.  In fact, the crowd was an unexpected mix of hipsters, ‘bros’, and average Joes who looked like they had just ended work.  But despite these differences, they were all united as Bear In Heaven followers and loyal members of their fanbase.  The band played some new songs, old songs, and some favorites like “Love Sick” which had everyone singing along.  Though the songs’ beats were preset, the live concert setting was still very much in existence.  An intimate yet very intrigued audience gathered to watch these psychedelic rockers who were even asked to play “one last song” for an encore.  The lead singer had an unexpectedly high voice for his masculine demeanor, but even the manliest men in the audience enjoyed singing along.  The show was not jam-packed and the venue was small and homey, but for the people who did come out to watch on this random Wednesday night, the music was all that mattered.