by Trevor Potts
The next Levitt VIBE Indianapolis concert is this Sunday, Aug. 10 at the Tube Factory artspace in the Garfield Park neighborhood (1125 Cruft Street), and features San-Antonio-based indie/punk rock band Girl in a Coma as the headliner. Girl in a Coma has been deeply involved in social issues affecting the LGBTQ and Latino community since their origins in 2006, with a history of standing up to stereotypes and unfair policies through their music. In 2012, Girl in a Coma got together with the SoundStrike to campaign against Arizona’s anti-immigration SB 1070 law. That said, band member Phanie Diaz does not necessarily consider Girl in a Coma to be activists or a political band. “Even though we are not self-identified [as activists], we do pay attention,” Diaz says. ” … We have youth, the gay community and the Latino community all paying attention to what we are doing and supporting us so if we can give back, we can.” In a separate interview with GA Voice, band member Jenn Alva stated that there had to be a different way to approach immigration. “Our country is taking steps in the wrong direction … There’s got to be another way. We need to work to help them and see what brilliant compromise that we can establish.” The band’s song “Hope” on Exits and all the Rest was written about Arizona’s anti-immigration law.
Girl in a Coma headlines this free, family-friendly live concert series at the Tube Factory campus in the Garfield Park neighborhood. Featuring music and dance performances, a local food truck, drinks from Normal Coffee, outdoor games, vendors, and family fun, this Sunday’s event runs from noon to 3 pm, with featured performers:
• Girl in a Coma (alt/indie rock)
• Iibada Dance Company (children’s African and modern dance)
• Criollisima con Sentimiento (Peruvian folk)
• Food Truck: The Grub House (soul food)
• Latino Artisan Market
Concerts happen rain or shine. If the weather is bad, festivities will simply move indoors inside Tube Factory. The primary goal of the series, according to Tube Factory art space, is to bring energy to a previously underused part of the neighborhood, gathering community members together around live music and artful and fun activities. “These events are happening in what was an abandoned parking lot and overgrown and fenced off lots less than 10 years ago. Now it’s a beautiful pocket park for visitors,” Big Car Executive Director and Co-founder Jim Walker said, a longtime Garfield Park resident. “Levitt VIBE Indianapolis is a major step in our big goal as artists to bring even more positive energy to our campus, our block, and our community — all while supporting artists, bringing people together, and sparking creativity for everyone.”
The Levitt VIBE Indianapolis Music Series is supported in part by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, which partners with changemakers and nonprofits across the country to activate underused outdoor spaces through the power of free, live music — bringing people together, fostering belonging, and invigorating community life. Presenting high-caliber talent and a broad array of music genres and cultural programming, Levitt concerts are welcoming and inclusive destinations where people of all ages and backgrounds come together. In 2025, the Levitt Foundation is supporting 650+ free concerts in 50+ towns and cities with a total audience of nearly 1 million people. In addition to supporting free concerts, the Levitt Foundation is dedicated to advancing equitable music ecosystems through research and partnerships.
In 2024, Levitt selected three cities for its two-year VIBE pilot program: Chicago, Oakland, and Indianapolis. Last year, Big Car and Arte Mexicano en Indiana hosted seven concerts across seven Sundays with a diverse range of performances in September and October in Garfield Park as the Tube Factory Campus was in the midst of heavy duty construction. Each concert features a Latino or Latina act curated by Eduardo Luna, founder of Arte Mexicano en Indiana. “We’re excited to continue our partnership with Big Car for the Levitt VIBE Indianapolis Music Series, now at a familiar venue — Tube Factory artspace — which has a long history of making our Mexican and Latine Community feel welcome,” Luna said. “These concerts are significant platforms for Latine artists near and far.”
Visit BigCar.org/vibe for a full schedule of concerts, artist lineup, food trucks, directions, information on parking, and more. This series is presented by local arts nonprofits Big Car Collaborative and Arte Mexicano en Indiana, as well as being supported by the L.A.-based Levitt Foundation. The series is also made possible by sponsors and funders including Efroymson Family Fund, Lumina Foundation, MIBOR REALTOR Association, Eskenazi Health, and Penrod Society.