Girl at the Rock Shows

It would be so easy to fall into the dread of the weather right now. Monday was stormy and grim, and the forecast for the rest of the week doesn’t look like it will improve. It’s the kind of weather that makes you want to stay home, but who has time for that? Gloomy weather or not, there is a week full of amazing shows ahead, and I, for one, was not going to give in to the weather and skip the first show of the week.

My introduction to LESLIE, the first band to grace the intimate stage at Cloudland in South Minneapolis, was when they were the guest musicians on a radio show I was co-hosting with a friend. I was instantly struck by their timeless sound and attention to detail. Although I had the best of intentions of catching this band after falling head over heels for them at that radio show, it took me until Monday night to actually do it. To say it was worth the wait would be an understatement. Typically, LESLIE comes in the form of a four-piece, but the growing audience at Cloudland was treated to a trio performance, and, honestly, it was perfect. LESLIE’s retro-styled rock-pop sound rang through the air in such a perfect way. There was that signature attention to detail with every passing note, but at the same time, there was something fun and free about the performance.

LESLIE definitely got the room warmed up, but I honestly don’t think anything could have prepared the audience for what would come next from local rockers Oyster World. I was supposed to see this band last month, but their show at the 7th Street Entry was canceled at the last minute. I’m okay with that because their music and vibe fit the DIY spirit of Cloudland so much more than it would have hit at The Entry (no offense to the Entry). DIY would be the best way for me to describe their sound. If you really want me to try to get more specific, I can, but it would just be me throwing words like post-punk, post-hardcore, chaos, noise, and art-pop around, and, let’s be honest, that really doesn’t give you even a small taste of what this band is like.

Although I may be lost for words when it comes to describing the sound of Oyster World, I am not lost for words when I explain the excitement that this band made me feel. Although their time on stage was short, they filled me with a feeling of angst and rage but also with a sense of creativity and passion. I’ll be the first to admit that their playful dissonance didn’t always hit my ears perfectly, but the way they delivered it sold me. They played with such a sense of raging passion that it was impossible to stand through their set without feeling something. With that in mind, one of the brilliant things about this band is that they don’t tell you what to feel. If you want to pick up on their angst, it’s all you. If you want to pick up on the beauty of the contrasting chords and the way the notes don’t move quite in unison but close enough to create a sense of tension, you can. All that matters is that you picked up on something, and Oyster World made you feel something.

Closing out the Monday night show was Kairos Creature Club. I wish KCC could be registered as a local Minneapolis band, but this was the one touring act of the night. Led by Lena Simon (of La Luz) and Glenn Van Dyke (of BOYTOY), KCC truly has a sound of their own. Like the other two acts of the night, there was clearly a little art-rock and pop happening in their sound, but there was also this cool electronic feature that seemed to reign supreme throughout KCC’s set. The first comparison that came to mind for me was CSS, purely due to that electronic influence and the danceability being off the charts throughout their set. However, there was also something almost ambient and slightly euphoric about KCC’s sound. It was a dreamscape highlighted by infectious beats and danceable treats. Long story short, I was falling increasingly in love with this band with every song they played.

Cloudland is not a big venue, and they do not have fancy lighting rigs or anything like that. KCC had brought their own lights in the form of four LED bars (or something like that– I’m not a lighting expert). There was one bar on either side of the stage and then two crossing above the drums, giving it an almost light-saber look. I only mention this because the setup was so simple, yet the addition of these four lights really added to the show’s atmosphere. I know that bands are broke. I know it’s no fun to be on the road, not make any money, and then feel like you have to pay for some fancy stage show, but what KCC has done was genius. It was simple, tasteful, and truly added that special something to an already exquisite set.

Don’t let the dreary weather keep you at home all week. This show was just one of many taking place this week. Get out in the rain, jump in a puddle, let your hair get wet, and just go to the damn show.

Line Up:

LESLIE

Oyster World

Kairos Creature Club

Venue: Cloudland

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing

Average Age of the Crowd: 25

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Dance-ability-7.2 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 People- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

LESLIE – 0

Oyster World – 0

Kairos Creature Club – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score- 8.2 out of 10

Show on Deck —Billy Allen and The Pollies / Burning Blue Rain

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