It has been so long since I have pulled double duty but it was a necessary thing yesterday. So many shows happening and I wanted to see them all. Unfortunately, I only made it to two but those two were probably the best shows happening in the cities on Saturday and I am more than satisfied with my decision. Don’t worry, I won’t write about both shows in the same post so here’s part one of my Saturday!
My day started at Dual Citizen Brewing Company for their Blocktoberfest block party. Although a little late to the party (I’m so sorry Mae Simpson), I made it just in time to catch a local favorite of mine, Bruise Violet. This group has power, energy, and sass. Really, they have everything I could have ever asked for in a band and it was so refreshing to see them for the first time in years. I loved being able to see the members’ attitudes shine not only through their music but also through the banter between tracks. “Oh, Bruise Violet covered a Babes in Toyland song– we’re original!” (Bruise Violet is also the title of a single from Babes in Toyland.) It was a fun set and the perfect way to kick my day off.
Following Bruise Violet was Solid Gold- another band I hadn’t seen in years. These guys are such a solid band but sadly just couldn’t seem to hold my attention. Maybe it was the delicious beer and cider flowing through my system or just the fact that Saturday was probably the last weekend I’ll be at a local block party because, well, Minnesnowta. A little lo-fi with a bit more of an infectious dancing beat, they were a great band to perform for an outdoor event like this because they provide tasty jams that make you want to move while allowing you to wander and just take in all of the sights and sounds around you.
Closing out Blocktoberfest was a personal favorite of mine and musician I’ve had the honor of catching numerous times, Nur-D. Where do I even begin with Nur-D and his amazing band? The amount of positivity and fun that radiated off the stage on Saturday evening can not be put into words. Although not a dancer, he had me moving and grooving with my friends with no care in the world. From his messages of just living your life to bringing body positivity to the spotlight, Nur-D is that kind of act that, no matter how bad your day had been, you will be smiling from ear to ear throughout his set.
Although Nur-D always steals the spotlight just because of his infectious smile and quirky dance moves, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention his amazing band. From the way they had synchronized dance parts to the way all of them could be singing along with the tracks when they weren’t hyperfocused on what they were doing instrumentally, it was just so fun to watch all of his band members as they danced their way through the set. I found myself particularly captivated by the drummer who I’m pretty sure never actually sat in his seat and opted to drum behind his set while standing up and hyping the crowd. Regardless of who you were watching on stage, there was a smile on their face and there was no way that smile didn’t transfer to yours.
Sadly, I couldn’t stay for Nur-D’s entire set and I was completely bummed about that as I didn’t get to hear some of my favorite tracks but this guy grinds. He is constantly working and constantly performing. I’m already looking forward to the next time I get to see him perform and get that positive energy that we could all use a bit more of in this day and age.
Line Up:
Venue: Dual Citizen Brewing
Smell-O-Meter: The amazing smell of The Naughty Greek
Average Age of the Crowd- 35
Crowd Surfers- None
Mosh-ability- 6 out of 10
Stage Divers- None
Broken Bones- None Witnessed
Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing
Fights- None Witnessed
Pukers- None Witnessed
Idiots Taken Out By Security- None Witness
How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-
Bruise Violet- 1
Solid Gold- 2
Nur-D- 5
Celebrity Sightings-None
Overall Score- 9 out of 10
Show on Deck- Armor for Sleep
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