Bloomington, Indie-ana band Six Foot Blonde demonstrated some good old fashioned hustle and a top-notch performance at Pearl Street Warehouse last Friday, July 12th. The young band brought authenticity and professionalism to the iconic venue during their first visit to The District.

Local bands Roscoe Tripp and jam band Humbayla took to the stage ahead of Six Foot Blonde (6FB) setting the stage for a night of dance and joy. Just ask the fans in the front row dancing in a trance to every song and even making the rounds throughout the venue to get people on their level, which worked 100% of the time. 

Six Foot Blonde consists of Julia Rusyniak (Lead vocals), John Alex Rusyniak (Keys), Dom Heyob (Bass, vocals), Zach Patrick (Guitar), Elliott Obermaier (Guitar), and Brian Healey (Drums). With a band that size, you’re almost inviting a clash of the creative minds, but 6FB blends so well you wonder if they aren’t just the same person but displayed as a hologram at each different instrument on stage. 

It’s even intoxicating to watch Julia dance on stage with a smile like a cast net catching and converting anybody in her radius. Her natural enthusiasm and contagious contortions on stage remind me of Broods lead singer Georgia Nott, who also performs with her brother, Caleb. Of course belting out some originals with soulful, Amy Winehouse-esque vocals like “Callin’ to Karma”, “Perpendicular Universe”, and newest release “Landgirl,” they covered Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets” and, a favorite of mine “Don’t Let Me Down” by The Beatles. Not only can their music and lyrics stand alone, their live performances are new releases in and of themselves. Putting on a good live show is a necessity and they raised the bar for up and coming indie bands to meet, in my opinion. 

This band is genuine and open to the experience. Their Instagram is full of sweet birthday posts, them driving to small, local gigs and handwritten lyrics–all of which paint a picture of their hustle and dedication. While they never intended to form a touring band, the stars kept aligning for them. As students and alums of Indiana University, their paths crossed at the right time. While some are family, others grew up together, and what you end up with is a natural cohesion of personalities and talent. During the pandemic they started playing locally and around campus and they were very well received, according to an interview in Fort Wayne’s publication WhatzUp. So well received, in fact, that now they are in the middle of their two-month long nationwide And Then Some tour, seemingly booked entirely in house.

In a respectable change of pace, we heard about 6FB’s upcoming show when Obermaier, not only the band’s guitar player but manager as well, reached out to DC Music Review inquiring about coverage. That kind of hustle is admirable and further illustrates the ambition, passion, and inevitable success this band will have.  Not only do they have the ambition, but they have the talent and stage presence to back up their hustle and which is sure to ensure a long and successful career ahead.

6FB’s highly anticipated debut album, Ask Me How I Am, is dropping in August, and if it’s anything like the music they already have out, I’m fully expecting (and begging) them to come back to DC very soon!

Humbalaya

Roscoe Tripp

To learn more about Six Foot Blonde, please see the following web resources:

• Webpage
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• TIDAL
• Spotify
• TikTok

To learn more about Humbalaya, please see the following web resources:

• Webpage
• Facebook
• Instagram
• TIDAL
• Spotify

To learn more about Roscoe Tripp, please see the following web resources:

• Webpage
• Facebook
• Instagram
• TIDAL
• Spotify
• Bandcamp