Chokeslam To My Heart

The first note in my phone from Friday night says, “Holy crap,” and, honestly, I think that’s the best way to describe the show at The Turf Club. It was an eclectic night of stunning talent, fantastic music, and passion. Long story short, it was a perfect Friday night, and I’m so excited to tell you about it, so why even waste my time with a forced intro?

The note that said “Holy crap” was explicitly about the opening act, room3. An experimental collective emphasizing improvisation, room3 instantly had me lost for words. I didn’t want to take notes or snap photos; I just wanted to get lost in their world. From a cover of Herbie Hancock’s “Butterfly” to the final track, which was a cover of “La Fiesta” from Chick Corea with a couple of originals sprinkled in, I loved that this band had an authentic twist and personality to every song they performed in their fifty-five-minute set. First and foremost, their sound was jazz-based, but to call this group a jazz band would be unfair. With standard rock vibes intertwined with an almost jam band attitude at times, this band is truly one of those groups full of musicians that don’t have a specific style yet know precisely what they’re doing.

All four members of this group were excellent, but drummer Colin Mitchell, also known as RAWTWHYLAH, had me absolutely floored. There were many times I wanted to watch keyboardist Eli Awada because, well, I’m a sucker for the keys, but my eyes were locked on Colin. How his drumsticks seemed to float over the cymbals or how he could find a beat that I couldn’t quite hear yet end up joining the rest of the band in perfect harmony was just insane. The other band members know what they have in Colin, and I say that because they really let Colin run the set, but, at the same time, nobody on this stage was ignored. All four members had an enormous amount of talent that made their set one that very well could be in the running for a set of the year from me.

I was still shocked as the second act, Gifted Handz, took the stage. It took me a second to warm up to their unique sound because I could have stood there watching room3 perform for many more hours but, once I did, it led to yet another truly impressive set. Gifted Handz is a fusion band. I wish I could get more specific than that, but I can’t. From jazz fusion to gospel fusion and everything in between, Gifted Handz treated the packed audience with familiar and foreign sounds. Although this group is just Joe and Josh, they welcomed a vocalist on stage who added an almost R&B vibe to the sound. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch this gorgeous vocalist’s name, but she had such a brilliant voice that, when she left, I wanted her to come back.

Even without the vocals, Gifted Handz entertained the crowd with little strain. Their unique beats and how they brought in elements that leaned into a more EDM vibe were brilliant to me. I loved that, although it was just drums and keys, this duo brought a full band sound to the stage with tracks and multiple keyboards doing different things. From bass and guitar sounds from the keys to the drummer’s samples, I enjoyed the creativity these two musicians showed throughout their set. The cherry on top? You could see how much both Joe and Josh love making music together. They didn’t seem to care what the audience thought, and they appeared to be in their own world, with smiles and nods going back and forth between the two of them. That, on top of their sound, made for a genuinely perfect set.

Closing out the three-band local show was a personal favorite of mine- McNasty Brass Band. This is a band I have been in love with since college but don’t get to see often. I still remember when this band started, as some classmates formed it at my school. I remember thinking, there’s no way this can be a thing. Ten people on one stage, and you want a clean sound? You’re crazy. Well, this band is crazy but crazy in the crazy good kind of way. Without hesitation, this larger-than-life band brought their Minneapolis meets New Orleans sound to the intimate venue, instantly blowing away any chance of anyone’s hearing surviving the night. Okay, that’s a lie. Honestly, the sound wasn’t as overpowering as it looked like it would be, which made it perfect.

From bombastic originals to creative covers (including my personal favorite, a brass band rendition of “War Pigs” from Black Sabbath), McNasty Brass Band had the entire audience dancing and smiling the way they should on a Friday night. Watching all of the players perform in unison was a sight to see and, at times, felt a bit overwhelming, but this isn’t a band that you stand there and watch; this is a band that you listen to and feel. After trying to get as many photos of as many of the members as I possibly could, I put my camera away and just let the music do the talking. Unfortunately, this means I stopped taking notes after just a couple of songs, meaning I don’t have any specific notes for this review, but I can tell you that as I stood there just letting their sound wash over me, it was as if I had zero stress. I didn’t have a care in the world. I didn’t care if I looked like an idiot as I danced around alone in the corner– I was living my best life, and I have McNasty Brass Band to thank for that.