By Mike O’Cull

Blind is a mostly-cover hard rock/ alternative band hailing from the South Side. Together for the past two years under the name Stone-Groove, their sound is heavy, groove based rock and roll. The band consists of drummer Dan Walters, vocalist Steve Ors, guitarists Tye Swanson and Tim Ors, and bassist Rich Bohne. They performed in front of a small but mighty crowd at Sluggers,and did their best to show all those attending a good time.

The set they played consisted of mainly current cover material. Highlights were "Animal" by Pearl Jam, "Torn" by Creed, and "Far Behind" by Candlebox. Tunes by Brother Cane, Stone Temple Pilots, and Fuel were also included. Blind also did some of their original material, which seemed to fit seamlessly with the artists they covered. Of the 3 originals played, "Voices" was the standout.
    
One of the best things about Blind is the way they interact with their crowd. Vocalist Steve Ors spent at least half of his time out in the audience with a wireless mic, singing directly to his people, drawing them into the show. Cover bands should be entertaining, above all else, and Blind succeeds
at being exactly that. I also give the band a lot of credit for putting on a good show on a night that didn't seem to be going their way. The turnout was a little light due to the holiday weekend, and a replacement soundman couldn't seem to get the monitors to stop feeding back through most of the
first set. Lesser bands would have stared at their shoes and mumbled about the unfairness of life. Instead, Blind dug in and gave the best performance they could muster under the circumstances. In spite of the difficulties, the band played well and with enthusiasm. A lesson about professionalism could be learned here.
    
Keep an eye out for Blind on the South Side bar circuit. If no-frills rock and roll is your cup of tea, they wouldn't be a bad choice for a night's entertainment. They are also threatening some North Side shows as their original material develops. 

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