Wandering through the white and gray, largely empty spine of Northfield Square mall in Bradley, one might feel a mixture of emotions that are hard to place.

There’s nostalgia for the days when the indoor shopping mall was a bustling hub for the community.

There’s a bit of sadness and longing for a bygone era of social connection and a particular youth culture that no longer exists.

But for those with a creative vision, those feelings can be captured and turned into a piece of art that not only showcases the Kankakee County fixture, but also speaks to that universal experience of dying-mall-induced existential dread.

That’s exactly what was encapsulated in the music video for “Last Escape,” a song from Boston-based rock band Fleshwater off its latest album, “2000: In Search of the Endless Sky.”

Blain Smith, a Bourbonnais-based filmmaker and 2005 graduate of Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School, was one of the producers of the music video filmed at Northfield Square.

The video can be viewed on YouTube. It has garnered nearly 170,000 views since it was posted in August.

“We all had a positive experience [filming], and the people were so welcoming,” Smith said. “... It definitely brought more attention to the area.”

About the band

Fleshwater was formed in 2017 by members of Vein.fm, an established group in the metalcore scene. Fleshwater blends elements from its heavy roots with a more melodic, accessible sound featuring clean vocals.

Fleshwater is currently touring in support of its new album, which was released Sept. 5 and can be streamed on Spotify.

The band will play at Chicago’s Thalia Hall Saturday, Sept. 27. Tickets are available at fleshwater.fm/tour.

Earlier this year, Fleshwater completed a North American tour with Deftones and The Mars Volta, which concluded in April.

Heavy hitters

The video’s concept came from director Eric Richter, who has worked with modern metal acts such as Knocked Loose, Lorna Shore, Fit For An Autopsy, The Acacia Strain and Better Lovers.

“It’s crazy because he came out to Bradley, but he’s like the No. 1 director in hardcore music,” Smith said.

The video’s director of photography was Robert Patrick Stern, who opened Flyover Film Studios in Rantoul. Akash Wadhwani, who is from Bourbonnais, was drone operator and photographer.

“I’m trying to bring more film production to Kankakee,” Smith said. “We’ve got a lot of cool locations out here, and everybody is really inviting.”

Answering the call

Smith got involved in the Fleshwater video when another filming location fell through for Richter’s team.

Smith had experience filming a different project in Northfield Square, so camera assistant Kal Kociss, from Gardner, suggested Smith’s name.

Richter’s team reached out to Smith about securing the location. After taking care of those logistics, Smith then hopped on the project as a producer.

The two-day filming experience was a pleasant one.

“The mayor of Bradley [Mike Watson] and the village of Bradley were very accommodating,” Smith said. “We thank them very much. They kind of just let us do whatever we wanted to do for two days.”

The village of Bradley purchased the mall in February.

Among his credits, Smith also directed a video for the song “Good in Blue” by Carrying Torches, which features the Kankakee-based band rocking out in nearby cornfields.

“How can we capture the vibe of Kankakee, use what we have around us?” Smith said.

Lights, camera, action

Having worked at Northfield Square in high school and college, Smith knew of spots inside the mall that would make interesting setups.

“We just kind of ran around and shot whatever we wanted, when we wanted to,” Smith said. “There’s a lot of cool scenes in the old arcade in there, which I don’t think a lot of people remember.”

The band performed in various locations, including in a metallic-roofed room with red lighting, the site of a shuttered arcade from the 1990s.

Something viewers might not realize is how many times a band performs a song to produce just a two or three-minute video.

“They probably played that song, over two days, like 100 times,” Smith said.

During filming, Smith was able to pick up techniques he will likely incorporate into his work in the future.

For example, the video used dolly shots, where cameras are rolling up to the band performing on a platform.

“I think the thing I learned by being there is that there’s really no rules,” Smith said. “You see something cool and you shoot it.”

Mall staff and community members were also accommodating during filming.

People came out of stores to watch the action and get autographs from the band.

The band members seemed to enjoy the location as well. They purchased video games from the Retro City Collectibles and T-shirts from Off The Wall.

The good old days

Though scattered stores remain, Smith recalls when Northfield Square “was like the center of the universe” for young people in the area.

“On Friday night, your parents would drop you off at 5. They would pick you up at 9,” he said. “You just went there and ran around, and the mall was just full of kids being kids.”

Viewers likewise have picked up on the somber, reflective tone of the video.

One YouTube commenter wrote, “Everything about this makes me homesick for a time and place that no longer exists.”

“I can totally relate to that,” Smith said.

Back when Smith used to frequent the mall, his favorite haunts included Suncoast Video and the FYE record store.

His affinity for the good old days is also a reminder of why it’s so important for bands today to have unique, attention-grabbing music videos.

People aren’t purchasing physical media in droves like they used to, but a music video going viral can surge a band’s popularity overnight.

“You can literally go from being a kid in your basement with no following to being known everywhere in a matter of a week,” Smith said. “Times have changed.”

For better or worse, the mall of Smith’s past is long gone, and the mall that was captured in Fleshwater’s video won’t live forever, either.

The village of Bradley has discussed plans to incorporate the mall’s spine as part of its planned entertainment and retail development in conjunction with a future water park.

So, Smith is grateful he could help capture the essence of the mall as it stands today.

“Maybe at some point they’re gonna bulldoze the place,” Smith said. “But they can never take it from us now, because it’s digitally preserved online, and it will always be there.”