Girl at the Rock Shows

The drive downtown to The 7th Street Entry on Wednesday night was rough. The roads weren’t bad even though we had just had a dusting of snow but, for some reason, people just could not pull it together. I was relieved as I pulled into the parking ramp and got out. The brisk air whipped at my face as I walked towards the legendary venue but I didn’t mind. I wasn’t on the roads anymore and I was about to witness an amazing showing of local and national talent.

A personal favorite of mine, Natalie Fideler, was the first to take the stage and was honestly the main reason I had made the trek out on Wednesday. Natalie’s sound is the perfect blend of, well, everything. From nostalgia inducing pop-punk anthems to a seductive jazz vibe, her voice and style is all over the place with the connecting theme being her impressive voice and shining personality. At one point during her set, Natalie joked that the two band members joining her on stage take her songs into a world that she never expected. I don’t think this is super far from the truth as her two band members definitely add a little special sauce to Natalie’s sound but I would really love to see Natalie perform solo. Just the sheer power of her voice is absolutely stunning and although it was absolutely put in the spotlight on Wednesday, I just think her performing solo would put me over the edge.

I really cannot praise Natalie enough for her set on Wednesday but I seem to be lost for words. Everything about her set was just so full of life and passion that, even if the music isn’t for you, I’m sure you will fall in love when you experience it live. There’s just something about it that makes her music and performance completely addicting.

I was completely enamored by Natalie and her band throughout their set but it was quick and, before I knew it, the stage was being changed over to make way for Kate Malanaphy. This name was new to me but Kate’s face was not. I couldn’t place it at first but, after a quick social media dive, I realized that Kate is also in the local band Keep For Cheap (who I have had my eye on for awhile now). That’s neither here nor there though. Wednesday night showcased Kate’s solo music that was part musical theatre, part Regina Spektor, and all heart. Backed by an amazing band that only enhanced the already unique and flawless sound, Kate powered through her quick set with an undeniable sense of professionalism.

Much like during Natalie’s set, I was quickly falling head over heels for Kate’s vocals. They are dark and deep but are so silky smooth. Instead of striving to have a more commercial bubblegum pop vibe, Kate stays situated in this dark and smoky mode with her music that I found mysterious, haunting, and beautiful all at the same time. I didn’t catch the song title but the second to last song that Kate and her band performed on Wednesday had my boyfriend and I stopped in our tracks (not that we were going anywhere but you get what I’m saying). There was just something so powerful and dark yet so full of life and energy. It was one of those moments where we just looked at each other with that “What is happening?!” look of approval and surprise.

Closing out the Wednesday night show was Nashville-based, Minneapolis-raised Brennan Wedl. Brennan’s sound definitely mirrored those travels. They had a very Nashville country vibe to their songs while keeping a sense of midwest sensibility both lyrically and with they way they presented the songs. The entire vibe of Brennan’s set could be summed up in one word– youthful. Although they clearly know what they are doing on stage, there was just something so youthful about the performance that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. That was mirrored in the audience with just how carefree everyone seemed to be. Nobody was in a hurry to get a drink, grab merch or anything like that throughout the night. People were just kind of sauntering around and smiling at all of the other strangers in the room and I felt like that vibe of the night truly showed itself throughout Brennan’s Wedl’s set.

I felt like I knew Brennan somehow. They just had a super familiar face but I couldn’t quite place it. I was alone in this. As mentioned, Brennan was raised in Minnesota and moved out to Nashville just a couple of years. There was an air of excitement as they mentioned that this was their homecoming date on this tour and the audience roared with applause. I don’t know if Brennan just wasn’t active back when they lived here or if I was just living under a rock but Brennan and their band left me absolutely stunned by the time the night was over and done.

The drive back home wasn’t as bad as my drive downtown which I was thankful for. It was probably because of the lack of traffic at that point but I would like to attribute it to the fact that I just felt so calm, warm, and fuzzy after the three amazing performances I had just experienced.

Line Up:

Natalie Fideler

Kate Malanaphy

Brennan Wedl

Venue: 7th Street Entry

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 21

Crowd Surfers- None Spotted

Stage Divers- None

Mosh-ability- 2 out of 10

Sausage-Fest Meter- 2 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $0

Broken Bones- None

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None Witnessed

Pukers- 0

Randomly Shirtless Men – 0

Passed Out Kids- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – None Spotted

How Irritated I Was With The Audience – 0 out of 10

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Natalie Fideler – 1

Kate Malanaphy – 0

Brennan Wedl – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score- 7.2 out of 10

Show on Deck — Clay Fulton & The Lost Forty / Faith Boblett / VINJE

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