Invisible Downtown

Invisible Downtown (“IDT”) formed in October 1999 when four Boston students found they shared the same passion for fun, high-energy rock. They began writing songs together and performing in Harvard Square and at local parties. It was during this period that the band’s members realized that audiences were taking to their blend of intricate harmony, true-to-life lyrics and sing-able melodies. In 2000 IDT had the noted distinction of being the first band in Harvard University history to have a party shut down due to crowd surfing. Influenced by the sounds of the Police, Jeff Buckley, Wilco, Counting Crows and the Foo Fighters, Invisible Downtown put together a series of complex yet accessible songs, culminating in a self-recorded demo in late 2001.

The band’s lineup was completed with the 2001 addition of singer Tim Blane, a Berklee College of Music student. This combination began to thrive, as the quintet exploded onto the Boston scene, playing colleges and area clubs. They also began to expand out of Boston, playing in New Haven, Maine, Providence, and New York City. In the spring of 2002, IDT was thrilled to have gigs opening for bands like the Verve Pipe and local favorites the Push Stars. During this time IDT started to garner praise for their musicianship, songwriting, and especially their explosive live performances.

With the completion of their debut album, The Safest Place, the band has entered into the next stage of success. Although the record did not hit the street until August 2002, its songs were already being traded by fans and garnering college radio airplay by midsummer.

Driven by the synergy of the Bell/Blane/Palmer songwriting team, IDT, as the group has come to be known by fans, has produced a collection of striking, unusual songs that still manages to be, as one critic wrote, "impossibly catchy." From the focused modern rock punch of "My Sins" to the classic anthem twang of "You're Gone," to the poignancy of the waltz-rock “Hollywood,” Invisible Downtown maintains a depth and richness that strikes a chord with their listeners. However, describing IDT as simply a collection of brainy artists couldn't be further from the truth. The band consistently reminds listeners that - put simply - rock is fun, and leaves their fans not only wowed, but also smiling.

In September, 2002, IDT was named one of Jim Beam Music’s bands of the week, and was named one of the top 4 unsigned bands in Boston by “Opportunity-Rocks.” IDT's smart songwriting and intense, tightly knit live show has already earned it a reputation as one of Boston's premier up-and-coming bands.