Girl at the Rock Shows

I was frantic as I left the house on Sunday night. I had checked the timing a million times during the day yet somehow read it wrong every time. I had it in my head that the doors were at 7, music at 8 meaning I could leave my house by 7:15 and still have plenty of time to get to The Turf Club and get situated. Around 6:45, a friend (who notoriously doesn’t go out until late at night) texted me that she was heading over to the show. I was confused– she never shows up early. That’s when she told me and my heart sank. It was doors at 6, music at 7. I frantically ran around the house grabbing what I could remember and bolted out the door. I somehow made it just in time for the opening act but to say I was a bit frazzled would be an understatement.

Thankfully, The Dirty Nil, the opening act on Sunday night, hit the stage and brought with them a sense of calm and energy that I clearly so desperately needed. The Dirty Nil is a rock band from Ontario, Canada and Sunday night was my third time seeing them but I honestly had completely forgotten I had seen them before– until they started playing. Anyone who says that rock n’ roll is dead clearly has not heard of nor seen The Dirty Nil. From the first second of their set to the very end of the nearly hour long performance, the band treated a sold out Turf Club to a flawless rock n’ roll sound. I mean it when I say it was flawless. The sound of their performance was very much recording quality which, for some bands, can be a bad thing but, for The Dirty Nil, it added a sense of professionalism to an already catchy sound.

I feel like The Dirty Nil is absolutely one of those “buzz bands” right now. I’ve been told countless times to go see them live and be prepared to be blown away. Although I’ve never been disappointed by their performance, I feel like I have also never really been blown away– until last night. Reading back on my previous reviews of this band, I realize that I have always been struck by their sound but never quite got hooked by their performance. That changed on Sunday night. The power that this trio brought to the intimate Turf Club was as deafening as the cheers from the overly excited audience. That chemistry between band and audience definitely finally gave me an idea of why people are so enamored with this band. Although banter between tracks was quick, there was a connection that could be felt throughout the venue that was hard to not fall in love with. Whether The Dirty Nil’s rock n’ roll sound is for you or not, that feeling that was in the room on Sunday is for everyone.

I honestly thought that The Dirty Nil was headlining the show just due to the hype surrounding the band but, like getting the timing for the night wrong, I got the line-up wrong as well. Headlining the night was Daniel Romano’s Outfit. Another Canadian based act but one I had never heard of before, I was excited to see how they would be able to follow-up the powerhouse of a performance that we had gotten from The Dirty Nil.

Although Daniel Romano’s Outfit’s sound is very much rock n’ roll, it seems to take the punk and pop-punk edge that The Dirty Nill has and offer up something a bit more dated and psychedelic. I know that when I say dated it holds an almost negative connotation but I do not mean it like that. Daniel Romano’s Outfit’s sound had something classic and timeless about it but they also threw some curve balls in here and there that defniitely caught me off guard. One of those curve balls was a very very punk feeling song. I wish I knew the title of it and I think it could have been a cover but I honestly have no clue. I caught the words, “Tax the rich” but that’s about all and I honestly don’t have the patience to do a deep dive online but I digress. This cover caught my attention instantly. The psychedelic sound driven by the almost constant jangle of a tambourine fell to the wayside and gave way to a truly flawless old-school punk feeling. From then on, I felt completely captivated by this group.

Daniel Romano’s Outfit dabbled along the line of punk and classic rock throughout their set which created a very fresh energy throughout the room. Regardless of the vibe of music the group was playing, it was Daniel’s lyrics that seemed to fill the space. Prior to the set, my friend and I met one of her friends and, being me, I just had to ask why he was at the show. He instantly went off telling me all about Daniel’s genius lyricism. I entertained the conversation but definitely had some hollow nods throughout the talk. That being said, as I watched Daniel Romano’s Outfit perform, I had this idea of genius lyricist in the back of my head and that’s when it clicked for me. There is something deep to Daniel’s music. It’s more than just the psychedelic glam-rock vibe that you see or that almost punk classic rock n’ roll sound that you hear– it’s the words that they are performing with an undeniable sense of passion and love. That was just the icing on the cake to a beautiful Sunday night.

My night started off rough. When I got home I realized that I had left the door to the bathroom open which meant there was toilet paper all over the place (thanks, Alfie the cat), and I had left half the lights on in my house (sorry electric bill) but none of that mattered to me. Instead of being pissy about it or beating myself up for these mistakes, I had a sense of calm satisfaction that I knew was a direct effect of being at an amazing rock show.

Line Up:

The Dirty Nil

Daniel Romano’s Outfit

Venue: The Turf Club

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 32

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 3 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

Passed Out Kids- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 0

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)-

The Dirty Nil – 2

Daniel Romano’s Outfit– 0

Celebrity Sightings – Ann of Mostly MN Music

Overall Score – 8.3 out of 10

Show on Deck — Sparta / Geoff Rickly / Zeta

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