Eisley: 11 July 2012 – Indianapolis, IN

Finding oneself deeply invested in the art of another is a peculiar thing. When we find ourselves moved or touched by something, there’s an innate desire to share that experience with someone. Music has long been a form that lends itself naturally to sharing — we sing to our loved ones, make mixtapes for our friends, and we cram ourselves together into sweaty, dimly lit, smoke-filled venues to sing along with a crowd of strangers to the words that mean the most to us. We often yearn for as many as possible to share in our experience, only to find that when the crowd grows too big, we begin to lose the intimate, personal connection that we once felt with an artist we may never know or meet. Separating our own desires from that of the artist can be a tricky thing, indeed.

In 2005, Eisley was playing arena stages around the country as the opening act for Coldplay after the indie-rock outfit caught the ear of Chris Martin, who saw it fit to bring them on tour. Those early days in support of their debut album Room Noises never manifested themselves into commercial success — no MTV airplay, no hit singles on the radio, and a major record deal that may have caused more harm than good. Instead of gracing magazine covers and selling out stadiums, the members of Eisley have poured their hearts into creating captivating, honest, and thoughtful music for anyone would listen while continuing to grow closer as a family.

On this night, the band plays to a crowd of around 200 in a quaint venue called Radio Radio in Indianapolis’ Fountain Square district. Despite the small size of the venue, this is a happy occasion and the crowd sings and sways along with band’s set. It’s hard not to smile when you see Eisley. The band is clearly happy and satisfied with where they are and has a clear understanding of what they’re about. This current summer tour is a celebration – two of the sisters (Chauntelle and Stacy) are with child and the band has recently finished recording their new album themselves, in the comfort of their own homes in Tyler, TX. Even painful songs from last year’s The Valley are played with a cheerier tone, sung knowingly that past events are long gone and more joyful and peaceful times have arrived. Each song showcases beautiful harmonies, displays honest emotion, and tells intriguing stories.

Perhaps Eisley is best experienced in a small, intimate setting in which every member of the audience feels connected. I have long believed Eisley to be a band whose talents should be viewed on a grand scale and a band whose art surpasses so many in the indie rock scene, let alone the pop world. Yet it seems it is the band who is content with their place and delighted to share their stories with even the smallest of crowds. Perhaps nowhere is the idea of quality over quantity as valuable as it is in relation to our shared experience of music. While I would gladly attend an Eisley concert with thousands of fans, I’m learning to value the moments when the idea of music and community collide, even on the smallest of scales. When our understanding of success shifts from numeric to relational, the payoff can be greater than we first imagined.