Billy Zygote

Billy Zygote, a college rock band from Bloomington, are a unique band to see live. For one, they don't mic any of their guitar amps. That way, the audience doesn't have to shout into each other's ear drums to have a conversation.

The band's distinctive sound contributes to their unique live show. A few of their main influences are college rock heroes Built To Spill, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Ween, but you'd never guess it just from hearing Billy Zygote's music. Their style is more reminiscent of 60's pop, always upbeat and happy. Songwriter Luke Rabbe describes their music as "the sound of a happy girl. "

Their live set mostly consists of originals with a few covers thrown in. Their covers include crowd pleasers like "Bungalow Bill" and "Wooly Booly" as well as unusual songs like "Lisa's Power Plant Song" from the Simpsons. "Nobody ever gets it when we play that song… maybe one guy," says Rabbe. During a recent show at Brew-Ha's, their cover of the Beatles' "Bungalow Bill" had a large portion of the crowd off of their barstools, dancing together in front of the band.

The charismatic personalities of the individual band members make for a charming stage presence. Rabbe (guitar) has a quiet coolness about him while his girlfriend Lindsay Ammerman (bass) is reserved, usually smiling. Drummer Mel Gubzer is the comedian of the band. She described the way Rabbe collaborates with her on her drumming for Billy Zygote: "[Rabbe] doesn't write the drum parts, but he kinda slaps me until I get it right and when he stops slapping me, I know I've got something that he approves of. "

Rabbe and Ammerman both agree that it isn't difficult to play in a band together while dating each other. Gubzer disagrees. "I'm always like, 'Get a room! Jesus!' … It's hard for them not to make out while they're trying to sing," she jokes.

If you decide to go see Billy Zygote, feel free to not pay attention to them. The band says they don't mind. "Most of the time, we don't mic our amplifiers to go through the PA," says Gubzer. This quieter live performance style allows for their audience to have a conversation without shouting over the band. "We are concerned how other people feel at the show; not just us," Gubzer concluded. Then, Rabbe chimed in, "We want our tagline to be, 'Haven't had a good conversation in a while? Come see Billy Zygote!'"
- Heartland Spectator