Girl at the Rock Shows

I am really trying to focus a bit more on the local music scene. Don’t get me wrong, being I love the fact that I often get the opportunity to witness huge shows from nationally and globally touring acts but you don’t get the same feeling at those shows as you do at a little local gig. Case in point was my Wednesday night. It may not have been the biggest show of the night but it had more heart than many of the larger shows I go to and that made it the winning choice of Wednesday night when it came to what show to go to.

Getting the night started off right was Electric Church- a band who tunes because they care. This trio’s sound was a perfect blend of swagger and pep. Think a little bluesy rock with a slight psychedelic nod but with beats so infectious that it will make you dance around a little bit even if you don’t want to. Although there was nothing super aggressive or in-your-face about Electric Church’s set, there was something charming and addicting about it. Sonically, this wasn’t completely my thing as it lacked that angst that I was in the mood for on Wednesday night yet the band had me completely stuck in the palm of their hands throughout the set.

Something was off yesterday. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but an extended nap after work meant that I was struggling to pull it together and get downtown to the 7th Street Entry in time for the show. I made it but the memory card for my camera didn’t as it was still plugged into my computer from the other night. Rookie move, I know, and it had me set off from the second I realized what I had done. Thankfully, a fellow photographer was just a few feet away shooting the show in First Avenue’s mainroom. Some quick thinking and her being one of the most generous people on the planet meant that I eventually had a memory card. Unfortunately, that memory card didn’t make it into my hands until after Electric Church’s set. My apologies to this trio for not being able to get shots of their set.

It seemed only fitting that the second band to take the stage at The Entry on Wednesday night was called Amateur Hour because, after leaving my memory card at home, I felt like I was taking part in an amateur hour. As soon as this local group started playing, I was in love. Don’t get me wrong, I adored what Electric Church had just given me but, as I mentioned, I was in the mood for something slightly more aggressive and angsty which is exactly what I got from Amateur Hour. Their sound was very Joyce Manor meets Hot Mulligan. A little emo, a little rock, some math-rock feeling guitar parts sprinkled in there and all with a sense of fire, passion, and raw emotion– I stood there ready to proclaim this band as my new favorite local act within the first couple of songs. Their performance matched the music. There was something very honest and heart-on-your-sleeve about the way they presented their tracks. I loved the DIY spirit that seemed to seep through every track and every interaction this group had with the audience.

Bring Wednesday night’s show to an end was The Dead Century. As soon as they jumped into their set, I couldn’t help but make The Gaslight Anthem comparison. I know that’s a bold move as The Gaslight Anthem is such a solid and truly monumental band for some people but that’s the vibe I got as I watched The Dead Century play through their set on Wednesday night. Their sound is rock n’ roll and it’s done right. Sure, I could focus in on the elements of pop-punk, grunge, indie-rock and other sub-genres that swirled throughout their set but the way The Dead Century takes all of these elements and makes their own perfect blend of rock is what really sets them apart from other acts out there right now. I feel like nowadays, bands like to see how extreme they can get or how they can blend very juxtaposing genres to create something brand new but The Dead Century don’t over complicate it like that and it led to a very refreshing set.

Each of the three bands on Wednesday night brought something different to the 7th Street Entry but I kept having the same thought throughout the night. I know I say this a lot but I need you to truly understand– the Twin Cities has the best music scene in the country and I will die on that hill. Each of the three bands that performed had a completely different sound yet I found easy comparisons to large acts for each of them. To the people who say they can’t afford to go out to concerts– the cover for Wednesday night was only fifteen dollars at the door. For that fifteen dollars, you were treated to three acts that brought an undeniable sense of heart and passion to the stage while being surrounded with people who were happy to be where they were. Those are things that you don’t always get from the larger shows so I beg you– check out the local scene.

Line Up:

Electric Church

Amateur Hour

The Dead Century

Venue: 7th Street Entry

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 34

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 People- 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)-

Electric Church – 0

Amateur Hour– 0

The Dead Century– 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8 out of 10

Show on Deck — Kitchen Dwellers / Armchair Boogie

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