I knew nothing about the music that I was going to get from my Monday night show. Honestly, I was supposed to have the night off but am making it a point to catch as many local shows as I can this year so I grabbed a friend and settled into the familiar surroundings of the 7th Street Entry just waiting for whatever the night would bring.
John Forrest and The Model Citizens was the first of the four bands to hit the intimate stage. With an almost southern influenced indie pop sound, I was instantly drawn to the flawless nature of this group’s sound. Seriously, had I not known that this was a local show, I probably would have bet money on the fact that John Forrest and the Model Citizens were a lower level touring band just making their way through the country. Both musically and with their stage presence, something just screamed professionalism but, at the same time, you could clearly see all of the band members having fun on stage. That was a reoccurring theme throughout the night that I’m sure I will mention multiple times through this post and I’m not sorry about it.
Although I truly didn’t have a favorite band from the show on Monday night, The Over Unders stood out to me for all of the right reasons. Although another just super solid band with a familiar sound and vibe, it was the vocals of this band that had me stuck. There was something dark about them but it didn’t translate into moody songs. I really don’t know how to explain it but it was one of those vocals that, as soon as I hear it again, I will be able to pinpoint the name to The Over Unders. Hailing from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this alt-rock band has super well thought out songs that bridge everything from pop to 90s alt and punk. Much like the unique vocals, the genre pool that The Over Unders pull from is also unique leaving me with a stand out set from an already stellar Monday night show.
Scalise was up next and wasted no time giving the large audience their indie folk and rock sounds. Releasing a debut album at the height of the pandemic was a ballsy move but that’s exactly what Scalise did and, surprisingly, I feel like it worked for them. Although the audience seemed to be in the same boat that I was and were all just excited for a Monday night out, Scalise seemed to have a very devout following with the way the room went silent as they took the stage. There’s something playful and innocent about Scalise’s sound. That being said, there’s something also perfectly aged about it. I really liked the lyrics I caught throughout their set as they really seemed to speak to me on a deep level but, musically, this band somehow keeps their performances from going super dark and moody like some of the words. The perfect example of this was one of their final songs where there was a super fun banter between George Knier on keys and Collyn Camara on trombone. Although just a small snapshot from their opening set, it was a moment that really stood out to me and will definitely make Scalise a name I will be on the look out for.
Closing out the local Monday night showcase was Pullstring. As mentioned, I knew nothing about this band when walking into the show on Monday night. I was drawn to them by the description I saw for this band. “Pullstring is a Minnesota-based alternative rock ensemble putting to words what it’s like to be a young adult in the twenties. Their eclectic brand of alternative rock fuses clever lyrics and wailing guitars with a bangin’ rhythm section and a fantastic energy that will make you want to bop bop the night away.” I mean, all of that is right up my alley so I waited impatiently as they took over the stage just hoping that it was going to be everything I wanted and more.
Spoiler alert– it was. Pullstring, like all of the other bands that performed on Monday had me sold almost instantly. With heart-felt lyrics, a sense of professionalism, and a sense of passion that radiated from the stage, I found myself wanting to move closer and closer to the stage with every song that they played. From moments throughout their set where I wanted to dance around like a fool to others where I found myself just grooving out to their infectious beats, I felt like, again, like the other acts, Pullstring doesn’t subscribe to just one style. There were moments that I was getting an almost 90s alt-rock throw back feeling and others where I was getting a more straight up indie-pop bop. That being said, there was something familiar about their sound that had me comfortable.
Pullstring just released their debut album last December so it’s safe to say that they are a fairly new band to the scene but, if they keep doing what I saw and heard them do on Monday, it won’t be long before they reach a whole new level and I will only be able to look back fondly on Monday night as “that one time I saw them before they blew up”.
Line Up:
John Forrest & The Model Citizens
Venue: 7th Street Entry
Smell-O-Meter: Nothing
Average Age of the Crowd: 21
Crowd Surfers- None
Stage Divers- None
Dance-ability- 2 out of 10
Sausage-Fest Meter- 6 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)-
John Forrest & The Model Citizens – 0
The Over Unders – 0
Scalise – 0
Pullstring – 0
Celebrity Sightings – Ann of Mostly MN Music
Overall Score- 8.3 out of 10
Show on Deck —Time Room / Northern Hammer / shrimp olympics
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March 7, 2023 at 9:56 pm
Nicely written review of a night’s music!