by Karen Strawn
Pantagraph Staff

Bloomington-Normal was well represented at the Illinois GOP Inaugural banquet Sunday night, according to local folk singer Marita Brake who performed for more than 600 people at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C., as part of the inaugural festivities.

"People were coming up to me and saying 'What is going on in Bloomington?'" Brake said.

The reason for the questions, Brake said, was the overwhelming response to local blues band Hip Pocket as they performed at Sunday night's banquet.

"Everybody was loving Hip Pocket," Brake said. "They were very well-received."

Hip Pocket also was schedule as an opening act at one of the inaugural balls Monday night, but had to cancel because their drummer was sick.

Lead singer Marc Boon said drummer Jeff Shoemaker was "sick as a dog" during Sunday night's performance. "A couple of times I would look back at him and he was green," Boon said. "I can't believe he made it through the gig."

It was a hard decision to make, said Boon, but after careful consideration, all nine members of the band agreed it just wasn't worth it to stay.