Not going to lie, leaving my apartment was less than easy last night but I knew there was a hell of a show waiting for me. The streets were quiet as I zipped from Minneapolis to Saint Paul. It was a little eerie to be honest but with the cold weather and what is sure to be a long week ahead full of more cold and snow, it wasn’t surprising. I loved the fact that although both Minneapolis and Saint Paul seemed to sleepy, as soon as you walked into the Turf Club on Sunday night you were greeted with an undeniable sense of energy. It may not have been the busiest show I’ve ever seen but that didn’t stop everyone that hadn’t given into the idea of a lazy Sunday night from having a damn good time.

A new name to me, Chad Erickson & The Untimely kicked off the show in a timely manner (kinda makes me question their choice of band name). Their sound was a classic rock n’ roll sound with a little bit of southern rock mixed in with a whole lot of catchy power chord progressions. Although every member of this group was clearly talented from the mezmerising guitar work to the truly impressive vocals, it was drummer Jendeen Forberg that had me captivated throughout the groups opening set. There has to be some history there or some extravagant story because Jendeen’s drumming just didn’t match a local band. A larger than life sound that she played with extreme ease (or what looked like ease), I seriously can not stress enough how stuck I was just watching her. Most local bands don’t do drum solos nor should they but as soon as the other members moved to the side to allow for a much deserved drum solo, I was excited. Again, this entire group was great and definitely original but clearly I was just so struck by Jendeen’s drumming that it kind of took over their set.

XIII Arrows was up next and if you’ve been following me for awhile now, it’s easy to see that I absolutely adore these guys. Their sound is something that doesn’t quite fit in Minneapolis. A bit of a southern drawl mixed with a touch of Tennessee bred country but all wrapped up in a bow of Minnesota nice, XIII Arrows is one of those bands that I could see night after night and never get bored with. Unfortunately, their set seemed ridiculously short and that’s not just because I was enjoying the crap out of it. With only six or seven songs, their set was less than a half an hour long and was honestly just not enough for me. Although their song selection definitely did a great job of showing multiple sides of this band from the upbeat party side to the more somber love song vibe, it still just wasn’t enough. Their good variety of old and new, slow and fast, didn’t help make up for the fact that I knew they had so much more to share and I wanted to hear it all. XIII Arrows may not be one of the biggest names in the local scene right now but if they keep it up, they will definitely be a thing by the end of the year. So much talent and potential in this band, I honestly can’t wait until the day I can say, “I remember seeing them at The Turf Club before they were big!” because I know one day I will be saying that to almost everyone I meet.

Closing out the night was Las Vegas born, Orange County, CA based Them Evils. I don’t know how or why but I found myself at a Them Evils show last May and fell head over heels. Their sound, although familiar, was anything but cliche. Their dirty rock n’ roll vibe had a very Memphis southern rock vibe that was mixed with a very chill California surf style. I know none of that makes sense but that would be the best way I can describe this trio’s music. Impossible to put into a single genre box, what impresses me more than their unique sound is the power of their live show. As mentioned, last night wasn’t the busiest show I’ve ever been to but Them Evils treated it like it was a sold out show. By the second song bassist Jake Massanari had made his way from the stage the the bar that lines the middle of the venue. With his hair hitting the string of lights above him, it was clear to see that these boys were here to party and give us a hell of a good Sunday night whether you wanted one or not.

Much like the set from XIII Arrows, Them Evils’ set went by way too fast and left me and the rest of the crowd wanting so much more. Their music is like a breath of fresh air. It’s a modern twist on a classic sound creating songs and a vibe unlike anything else out there right now. Their endless amount of energy had my Sunday night feeling like anything but a Sunday night. It may have been dark and cold outside but it was warm and sunny inside and I truly can not thank Them Evils enough for bringing their Cali vibes to the Arctic tundra that is Minnesota.

Much like Saturday night, last night wasn’t the biggest show I’ll go to this week but that didn’t keep it from being one of the best. Get off your couch, venture into the cold, and go into a small club show on a Sunday night regardless of if you know who’s playing or not. I promise it’s worth it.

Line-Up:

Chad Erickson & The Untimely

XIII Arrows

Them Evils

Venue: Turf Club

Sausage Fest Meter- 7 out of 10

Average Age of the Crowd- 35

Crowd Surfers- None

Groove-Ability- 3.5 out of 10

Stage Divers- None

Broken Bones- 0

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- 0

Pukers- 0

Drunkards Taken Out By Security- 0

Celebrity Sightings- None

Overall Score- 7.1 out of 10

Show on Deck- Mushroomhead/ Hellzapoppin Sideshow/ Ventana/ Worldwide Panic

Shameless Self Promotion- Donate Here To Keep This Blog Going!