Girl at the Rock Shows

I’m a creature of habit, so knowing I had to go to a venue I had never been to before on Thursday night was nothing short of panic-attack-inducing. I parked in my usual spot downtown, walked a couple of unfamiliar blocks, and found myself in front of The Dakota. The Dakota is a famed jazz club that is already so out of my norm, but there were three killer local acts playing on Thursday, and, setting be damned, I wanted to be at this show.

Kicking the night off was the beautiful and talented Clare Doyle. I was first introduced to Clare when she performed at First Avenue’s Best New Band in January. I instantly fell in love with this woman’s talent and sound even though it differed from my regular listen. I knew I was going to be captivated by her performance on Thursday night, but I had forgotten just how hard her music hits. Clare explained to the audience that she really likes picking themes for her sets, and for Thursday, the theme was “running.” Running away from something, running around– just running. Although I didn’t quite catch onto the theme outside a couple of the songs she performed, she had me caught in her web of beautiful lines of words matched with perfectly placed guitar strums. Joined by Kai Brewster on electric guitar, I loved the way that, although her vocals took the spotlight for most of her quick opening set, she allowed the instrumentation to rise and fall beautifully. It would have been so easy for her set to turn into something very slow and somber, but she made sure to keep her energy high with intricate guitar parts and her shining personality. I said it when I saw her at First Avenue’s Best New Bands, and I’ll say it again– Clare Doyle is one to watch.

Following Clare was another favorite of mine- The Holy North. Formerly Ty Pow & The Holy North, this group may be going through a rebrand, but nothing about them has changed other than the name. This group wasted no time blasting the audience with their powerful and catchy blues-drenched rock sound. The Holy North is a supergroup. Not only did we see Kai Brewster come back for this set (although he was wearing an entirely different outfit from the opening set, so was it really Kai?), we got Kevin Gamble on keys (currently my favorite keyboardist in the cities), and Chris Stapleton on bass. Okay, that last one isn’t true, but the band was quick to make a couple of jokes as they jumped into a flawless cover of Chris Stapleton’s ‘Tennessee Whiskey.’ Little jokes like this that were scattered through The Holy North’s set made me comfortable.

The Dakota is far from a stuffy jazz club like another one in town that I won’t throw under the bus because I quite like the place, but it’s not a rock club. The audience was seated at tables with fancy glasses of wine and curated plates of food in front of them. There’s nothing wrong with this kind of setting, but I’m definitely more of a grungy rock club kind of girl. I want my vodka Red Bull, and I want my feet to stick ever so slightly to the floor. Instead, there I was, sipping on a really lovely (and delicious) glass of rosé debating if I wanted the fancy olive plate. Long story short, I stuck out like a sore thumb at this place, but the music and jokes of The Holy North instantly made me hope that the night would never end.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and as soon as The Holy North was done, it was time for the final act of the night- Maygen & The Birdwatcher. This is a band I have been wanting to see for a long time. I’m not sure how I got connected with Maygen, but as I watched her and the band play through their signature Americana-Folk-Country songs, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was fate. The first thing that struck me about this band was the almost organic feeling I got from them. Although their songs were clearly well crafted and thought out, there was something so organic about everything happening on the intimate stage. They clearly weren’t improvising, but something about their performance made it feel so freeing.

I found an interview that Maygen did where she was quoted saying, “We really love music that can fill a space and entertain,” and I feel like that’s the easiest way to say all that I want to say about Maygen and the Birdwatcher’s set on Thursday night. Their passion-fueled sound not only filled the space of the gorgeous club, but it easily filled the hearts and souls of everyone in attendance. Thursday night may have been my first time seeing Maygen and the Birdwatcher, but it definitely won’t be my last, and I am already craving another night spent with this gorgeous band and their very down-to-earth and calming yet energizing aura.

I was nervous as I walked into The Dakota on Thursday night. I didn’t know where I was, and I was all alone– or so I thought. After a short hiccup at the door with the guest list, I made fast friends with another local blogger’s wife who had been tasked to also cover the show. It was one of those small world moments that, looking back on it, has me smiling from ear to ear. I walked into The Dakota alone and nervous but ended up sharing a table with this woman and having a great time. It would have been so easy for me to just bail on this show and blame my severe anxiety for it, but I put on my big girl pants and did the damn thing and ended up having a charming night surrounded by amazing people and being serenaded by some of the best local talent that the Twin Cities has to offer. Long story short– get out of your comfort zone. It’s not as bad as it seems, and you may end up having the best night of your week because of it.

Line Up:

Clare Doyle

The Holy North

Maygen and the Birdwatcher

Venue: Dakota

Smell-O-Meter: Delicious Food

Average Age of the Crowd: 48

Crowd Surfers- None

Stage Divers- None

Dance-ability- 0 out of 10

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

Broken Bones- None

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None Witnessed

Pukers- 0

Passed Out Kids- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – None Spotted

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)-

Clare Doyle – 1

The Holy North – 1

Maygen and the Birdwatcher – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 9 out of 10

Show on Deck — Glitterer / Glixen / She’s Green

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