Intense Mutual Loyalty Characteristic
of Indecision's Relationship With Fans

By Phil Townsend
The Observer Magazine, Charlottesville, VA.
August 30 - September 05, 1990

Indecision's popularity is undeniable. Their popularity stems from a reputation for giving fine live performances. It's a word-of-mouth sort of fan support, based in part upon people passing along tapes of Indecision's live performances to their friends. Indecision has built a large grassroots following without the benefit of either a widely available album or a promotional firm relentlessly pursuing their cause. Simply, their success is built upon a degree of fan fervor that most bands envy.

What is it about Indecision that brings people to see them time and time again? One longtime fan, Alyssa Miller of Richmond, says, "it's the way they present their music, and that's honestly. They're dedicated to the music." The music strikes the perfect mix, say other fans, "mellow, but danceable," says one. The band's fans also agree that the band does not construct a physchological barrier between themselves and the audience. Miller says, "They don't patronize the audience." Similarly, there is also a lack of pretense among the people in the audience. "Everyone in the crowd is their own person." In addition, a certain camaraderie exists among the crowd; "Everybody knows the songs." People often travel to see them: "I'll see the same people at shows in Harrisonburg and Raleigh, North Carolina," says Miller. In those ways, Indecision has gained a level of fan loyalty that bears much resemblance to the dedication shown by fans of the Grateful Dead, albeit on a much smaller scale. But most of all, as Miller puts it, "It's fun!" Indecision seems to inspire their fans, so that "everyone wants to be a part of what they're doing."

The members of Indecision recognize that the fans are the backbone of their success. Doug Wannamaker says that the fans play a large role in making any performance successful. "It's nice when the crowd really gets going," he says. "It helps us play; it's like an energy that comes back and forth between us and the crowd. The crowd can make a show just as much as the band." Their following also gives the band members and crew a sense of accomplishment. "It's rewarding to be right in the middle of a sea of people," says manager and sound engineer Danny McCrystal, "and to watch the people really start grooving on what we're doing." David Ibbeken, guitarist and vocalist remarks, "We know they'll come back to see us whenever they can, and for Indecision, getting those people to come back is what success is all about."

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