Girl at the Rock Shows

I have writer’s block. It’s been a while since this happened, which is a blessing, but I hate that it’s happening now. It’s not that I don’t have the words to describe the show on Saturday night, because I do. It’s more that I don’t have a witty intro to pull you into this review. Instead of continuing to sit here, wracking my brain for an intro, how about we get into the magic that was Saturday night at the 7th Street Entry?

The first band on the line-up (and the only local act to play) was a personal favorite of mine: Products Band. I’ve seen and written about this band two times already and I know I promised to get out there and see new music but there’s something about this band that keeps me coming back. If I’m being honest, they were the reason this show was on my radar. They didn’t let me down. As this four-piece band took the stage, they also continued taking pieces of my heart as they have the two previous times I have seen them. Their music is this blend of sweet shoegaze and angsty punk. Depending on the song and who’s doing the vocals, you get a whole different vibe from this band yet it always comes off as a cohesive set. Add the band’s attitudes and personalities that shine during and between acts and you are left with a perfect way to kick off your Saturday night.

Although Products Band didn’t play my favorite song, “Hello, Hi”, the quickly growing crowd in the Entry was treated to a couple of new tracks including one that was literally just written and remains nameless. I loved how these new tracks felt like Products Band so perfectly while also showing an evolution in the band. There was a bit more technicality showcased in these new tracks and it has me absolutely thrilled about the future of this band. Hearing the new music was great but another stand-out moment of their set was those moments where the band member’s personalities shined. From starting off the set by saying, “This is our first and last love song of our set.” to mentioning the idea of doing an interpretation of the Rufus Wainwright cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” from Shrek only to proceed into a song about how Leonard Cohen is dead– unlike the singer. All around, Products Band’s set was exactly what I had wanted and, when it was over, I felt more than satisfied with how my night had gone already.

My night was far from over though, and, after a quick changeover, Los Angeles-based Goon was taking the stage. Right off the bat, I was absolutely captivated by the vocals of this band. They were a bit like The Dear Hunter meets Manchester Orchestra meets the softest and coziest blanket you’ve ever owned. From the softest of softs to the boomiest of booms that were surely heard upstairs in the First Avenue Mainroom, the dynamic prowess of this band was not lost on me. There was this odd meditative quality to their music but I don’t want you to take that as their set being sleepy. In fact, listening to Goon filled me with so much life and energy that I felt like I hadn’t been on a five-day concert binge and was awake and ready to take on the world. That meditative quality is partially due to the lush landscapes that the layers in their music produced but I think the other part of that was their delivery. The four band members were very cool, calm, and collected on stage. Even during the boomier moments of the set, there was just something so tranquil about their performance. Saturday night was Goon’s first ever time performing in Minneapolis but I surely hope it won’t be their last.

Although I was clearly enamored by both opening acts, Products Band and Goon were not the reason for the sold-out show on Saturday night– Squirrel Flower was. As mentioned, I was only at the show to see Products Band, but I was excited to see what Squirrel Flower was all about and how they could pull off a sold-out show on a cold Saturday night. First, a little background. Squirrel Flower is the stage name of Ella O’Connor Williams. At only twenty-seven years old, she has carved out a spot in the indie rock world, and after hearing her perform on Saturday night, I understand why.

How Ella and her backing band kicked off their set left me absolutely speechless. As the three band members stood behind Ella in complete silence, Ella started singing a beautiful song with minimal guitar work. It took a second, but I quickly realized that she was looping her vocals, creating layers on layers of lines of poetry in perfect harmony and rhythm. Although the sound was a bit softer and more tender than I personally would have wanted for a Saturday night, it fit with the lush atmosphere that Goon had laid out so perfectly. You could literally hear a pin drop as Ella performed this first song and the first break in the audience was a giant roar of applause as the rest of the band joined in for the second song of the night.

Throughout Squirrel Flower’s set, the audience was treated to unique but accessible indie rock anthems. Some leaned into the pop vein of things, whereas others felt a bit more singer-songwriter and simple. Regardless of what song it was, the audience was clearly into it, with any side conversations coming to a quick end every time the band would jump into a song. It felt like people had stopped visiting the bar, and even all bathroom breaks had been paused as if nobody wanted to miss a second of Squirrel Flower’s set.

Saturday night was not Squirrel Flower’s first time in the Twin Cities, but judging by the crowd, it was your last chance to catch her in such an intimate space. I hope you made it out, but if you didn’t, have no fear. I strongly feel Squirrel Flower will be back sooner rather than later– just in a bigger space.

Line Up:

Products Band

Goon

Squirrel Flower

Venue: 7th Street Entry

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 25

Crowd Surfers- None

Stage Divers- None

Dance-ability-2 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)-

Products Band – 2

Goon– 0

Squirrel Flower – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8 out of 10

Show on Deck — 1947 / PRGRPHS / Daguerreotypes

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