Girl at the Rock Shows

I’ve been seen some absolutely amazing shows lately but they have all been mostly touring acts. That’s not a bad problem to have but my roots are in the local scene and, every once in awhile, I crave a purely local show. Thankfully for me, The Turf Club in Saint Paul has started devoting more time to local concerts so that’s where I found myself on Thursday night and, although I was exhausted, I showed up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ready to see what was going on in the local scene of mine.

Getting the night started off in an odd but perfect way was Magick Flavour Station. I only say odd because it was something completely different than what I’m used to. Magick Flavour Station is the solo project of Raymond who would make an appearance later in the night as the keys player for headlining act Floodwater Angel. Raymond took the stage looking a little bit like a demonic Robert Smith (of The Cure) who had just starred in a rendition of Clockwork Orange. It was a look that caught my eye and was a bit strange yet fit their music perfectly. The simplest way to describe the music of MFS would be the way Raymond has it listed on his socials, “Lo-fi lullabies for cig smokers who are old enough to know better”. Like I said, a bit odd but I was here for it. There were moments of pure beauty and lo-fi greatness followed by moments of pure chaos and shouted profanities. It was a strange contrast that somehow worked perfectly and made for a super intriguing and great way to start the night.

Up next was Dial Tone. Dial Tone’s sound was a bit more standard when compared to MFS but it was also absolutely perfect. The first thing that really hooked me on this band was the vocals. I can’t find the vocalist’s name for the life of me but their voice is beyond perfect. It’s silky smooth the majority of the time but can also have this slight hint of angst when necessary. From soaring high notes to blustery lows, the range that they can hit had me absolutely floored. All that being said, the two band members rounding out this trio were also perfect. Every note had a place and every note came with a sense of emotion behind it. There was something almost deathly-serious about this band yet their sound is playful and fun. Long story short, Dial Tone is on my radar and should be on yours too.

RiGBY, the next band to play, is one of those bands that has been on my “I need to catch them live” list for sometime and Thursday night was finally my chance. I feel like there’s this almost underground hype around this band and, as I stood there and watched them blast through their set, it made sense. They have a Riot Grrrl style energy about them and a very DIY styled sound. It’s in your face, it’s brash, it’s unapologetic, and it made for a stand-out set on Thursday night. Although RiGBY’s sound and performance is intense, there was something super sweet about all of the members of this band. From the way that bassist Hana Mahli started to tell a story about the first time they and vocalist Maude Lorr first saw Floodwater Angel but then just kind of trailed off to the moment when, right before the last song, Maude announced that this was going to be drummer Kean Wilwerding’s last show with the band, there was just something innocent and almost a bit shy about the band which was in stark contrast to their sound. There’s a reason why there’s been so much buzz about RiGBY lately and, like the rest of the bands on the line-up from Thursday night, it would truly behoove you to check them out.

I’ve had the honor of covering Floodwater Angel a couple of times now and they never fail to leave me satisfied. Their headlining set on Thursday night was no different. The best part of Floodwater Angel is their sound. I mean, don’t get me wrong, this band is full of some of the nicest and sweetest humans you will ever meet but it’s their sound that keeps me coming back time and time again. It’s not like anything else I’ve seen lately. It’s a little funk, a little jazz, a little rock, a little jam band– basically it’s a little bit of a lot of things and whole lot of passion and creativity.

From playing songs that I recognized to throwing in a brand new track (that was absolutely amazing), Floodwater Angel had the audience completely captivated. There were a couple people dancing, a couple people sitting in the back, and a couple of people just standing near the stage. Regardless of who you were or where you were in The Turf Club, your eyes and ears were glued to the stage. That’s the magic of Floodwater Angel. They give you something to chew on. Their sound and song compositions are not typical and keep you interested and on your toes leading to an exciting set. On a different side of the same coin, there’s something so chill about their sound and performance. There’s no rush when it comes to this band nor should there be. They take their time with each note holding those that should be held for the perfect length. At one point, two members were either sitting on the stage or were crouched down low. This was such a small moment of the set but I felt like it gave you a chance to feel what they were feeling as musicians. Cool, calm, and collected but with an undeniable sense of passion and fire.

I jump back into a string of nationally touring acts tonight. I’m excited for it but know that those shows won’t hit the same as Thursday night at The Turf Club. Its cliche but every big band out there was once a local band so go out there and catch a local showcase. For you readers in the Twin Cities– there are dozens of them happening every night around town– you really have no excuse.

Line Up:

Magick Flavour Station

Dial Tone

RiGBY

Floodwater Angel

Venue:  Turf Club

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 25

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 1 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)-

Magick Flavour Station – 0

Dial Tone – 0

RiGBY – 0

Floodwater Angel – 2

Celebrity Sightings – Ann of Mostly MN Music

Overall Score – 8.4 out of 10

Show on Deck — Miya Folick / Babebee

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