Girl at the Rock Shows

What do you do when you can’t decide between two shows to go to? Obviously you go to both. Okay, maybe that’s just me but that’s how I spent my Monday night. There were two shows conveniently happening in the same building. I honestly couldn’t choose between the two but the close proximity of the two along with one being all ages and starting early with the other having a later start time meant I had no excuse and I could catch both.

First on the docket was the all ages show at The 7th Street Entry headlined by Claud. Before I get into Claud’s set, let’s dig into opening act Lutalo. Lutalo is a Minneapolis native that was clearly excited to be back on his home turf. After just a couple of songs, he shared this excitement explaining how bummed he was that he had to cancel his last hometown show due to getting covid. Although I had never heard of Lutalo prior to his set on Monday, it was clear with the way he performed that he had something to prove and that this show was a redemption of sorts for him.

Typically when I talk about someone having something to prove on a stage, it means the show was highly energetic and in your face. That was not at all the case with Lutalo but there was still something ridiculously powerful about his quick opening set. The first thing I noticed about him was his vocals. They were dark, deep, and strong and truly had my caught. I loved the way that they brought a sense of darkness to the upbeat and light bedroom-pop inspired guitar work that he gave with them. Even with that being said, I would fall short of calling Lutalo a bedroom-pop act. His voice mixed with the instrumentation gave me almost grunge and punk vibes but in an unassuming way. Maybe it was the power that he gave off without even trying or maybe it was that beautiful voice of his… regardless, Lutalo had me and the rest of the audience completely hooked.

From everything I could find online regarding Lutalo (which honestly wasn’t much), it looks like he now lives on the east coast which is a shame. I could stand and watch him time and time again without getting bored. He is one of those musicians where, although it wasn’t the most exciting set for me, it was one that had me captivated purely because of his talent.

I thought I was going into this show blind but, as my partner and I sat at dinner, I had this realization that I had seen Claud before. At first, I couldn’t place it but after a deep dive into my archives, I found it. I saw Claud open for Bleachers back in October of 2021. If I’m being quite honest, I didn’t remember anything about Claud from that night but I chalked that up to the fact that I just adore Bleachers and feel that they have such a powerful live show. Reading back on my review from that day, it looked like I wasn’t super impressed by Claud but that was more because it didn’t fit my mood that night. I did end that review saying that when Claud announces another show in town, I would be there to support them so it was almost like fate.

I had popped out of The Entry after Lutalo’s set to grab a drink and socialize with some friends that I had bumped into at the bar next door. When I left for said drink, the crowd wasn’t the biggest crowd I had seen in the intimate venue. I mean, it wasn’t small either but it was just a perfect size. When I returned just in time for Claud’s set, it was packed. I had called in that review back in October of 2021. There’s something about this young musician that was infectious and although I had stumbled upon this show as an act of fate, everyone else was clearly excited and ready to experience the magic that is Claud.

Just like the first time I saw them, I was instantly struck by the amount of sweetness and innocence that radiates from Claud. It’s not just their stature, it’s also their music. It’s a very chill bedroom-pop vibe but with an odd energy that makes it feel like a more rockin’ show than it probably was. Because of this, it’s hard for me to write about the show. I don’t want to mislead you into thinking Claud is something that they are not but they are truly an innovative act that, at only twenty-four years old, still has a lot of time to make a big impact.

Promoting their new album ‘Supermodels’ which came out this July, Claud powered through a set of new and old tracks. You could hear the evolution of their sound throughout the songs. Although I couldn’t tell you what songs they played or in what order, I could have told you if was a new or old song that the trio was playing purely based on the growth that came through so clearly in the music. I loved the way that, regardless of if it was a new or old song, Claud and their bandmates were giving the audience everything they had and treated every song like a true banger and, for some in the audience, that was the case. I was a bit lost for words as I watched the young audience singing to every word and ending every song with a deafening roar of applause. I mean, obviously Claud was worthy of all of the praise they got but it was just not what I was expecting.

There was nothing ridiculously exciting about the show at the 7th Street Entry on Monday night. There were no epic stage jumps or mosh pits to speak of but I was in love with the night for what it was. It was a showcase of young talent and, after a couple of shows that made me question what the youth is listening to, it was a breath of fresh air and a reminder that there is still hope for the future.

Line Up:

Lutalo

Claud

Venue:  7th Street Entry

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 16

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 0 out of 10

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

Broken Bones- None Noticed

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)-

Lutalo – 0

Claud – 1

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 7 out of 10

Show on Deck — Kid Kapichi / Nothing But Thieves

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