Girl at the Rock Shows

I realized I would need to open up some closet space for my boyfriend when he moved in. I decided to sacrifice some of my band t-shirts. Don’t worry. I didn’t get rid of a single one; instead, I started storing them under my bed. Five under-bed storage bins later, I narrowed my t-shirt collection to just a handful and vowed to stop buying a shirt at every show. I put some rules in place to help with this. These rules are as follows: the shirt either has to have tour dates on it, or there needs to be a cat involved. There is one exception to this rule. If a band catches me hard enough, I am allowed to buy a shirt in support of them. There were no tour dates or cats on the shirts on display on the Billy Allen + The Pollies shirt I walked away from the 7th Street Entry with on Tuesday night.

Before discussing the amazingness of Billy Allen + The Pollies’ set, let’s talk about the sole local opener of the night- Burning Blue Rain. I was introduced to this band back when I saw them at this same venue in January. Their sound is definitely not my normal thing, but they hooked me that night just like they hooked me on Tuesday. Although a young band, this group has a sound that is classic and timeless in a way. It’s a bluesy-inspired rock sound that you would think comes with years of a hard life. The vocals, although not the highlight of this band, are deep and dark in a way. The guitar playing, which is the highlight of this band, is masterful, to say the least. Really, this entire band is masterful. The way this young group plays right in the pocket while giving their sounds time to breathe is something that will never stop, leaving me impressed.

Burning Blue Rain is one of those bands that I wish I could tell you more about, but I don’t have the right words at the end of the day. Part of this is because I don’t know how to accurately describe bluesy soul music due to it not being my normal cup of tea. Another part is that they always leave me in a trance-like state. Even though words fail me right now, and when it comes to this band in general, Burning Blue Rain is a must-see from the Twin Cities scene, especially if you’re one of those people who thinks that kids today just don’t understand good music.

I had been looking forward to this Tuesday night show since February 16th of this year. That was the night that I accidentally ended up at my first Billy Allen + The Pollies show at The Turf Club. I only say I was there accidentally because I was really there to see the opener but quickly realized I had gotten the opener mixed up with a different local band (long story, but you can read about it HERE!). I fell in love for the first time all over again that night. I fell in love with the music, the talent, the passion, and, most importantly, the heart that I had gotten from Billy Allen + The Pollies. I’m not trying to be dramatic or anything, but being at that show in February made me fall in love with live music all over again.

Billy Allen + The Pollies is a hybrid project. The Pollies are a four-piece rock band from Alabama. They had been doing their thing as a standalone band but, after a chance encounter, joined forces with fellow Alabamian Billy Allen. Although some would call it chance, others fate, I call it a match made in heaven. The Pollies are one of those just all-around solid bands. I truly think I could stand and watch them for hours as they treat me to their chill bluesy-rock jams and not have a single complaint. Billy Allen is a true frontman with a slight flair for the dramatic and a voice that would easily make Prince come back to life if there were a chance for it. The way these two very different demeanors and sounds come together to create something so harmonious, so perfect, is something that will continue to leave me lost for words.

Although I acknowledge that Billy Allen + The Pollies would be nothing without The Pollies, I would like to focus on just Billy. I cannot describe what this man can make you feel. It’s the way he feels the words deep into his soul to the point where you can see him trembling with certain words and slightly shouting others. It’s the way he stares into the audience with an intense yet peaceful gaze. It’s the way that he doesn’t give a crap about what you think of him– he’s going to dance the way the music makes him feel. Long story short, as I mentioned, Billy Allen is a true frontman. I wanted to watch everything happening on Tuesday night on the small 7th Street Entry stage, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Billy. He’s charming, he’s intense, and his stage presence sells something that, deep down, you know he isn’t even trying to sell. He’s just expressing himself, and the way that translates into a live performance will always take my breath away.

Maybe showmanship isn’t quite your thing. That’s okay. Billy Allen has a voice that will also continue to leave me lost for words. It’s smooth and soft when it needs to be and bold and powerful when that makes sense. Really, Billy Allen can sing anything in any style. Okay, I don’t know if that is true, but it’s just the vibe I get every time I hear him. He has a larger-than-life voice that will make you stop dead in your tracks and help melt away all of your worries and stresses of everyday life. Honestly, it’s a voice that belongs on the legendary First Avenue main stage. I am sure that Billy Allen + The Pollies will get to that stage eventually, and I am just so honored to have had the chance to witness their genius on a small stage before that.

Billy’s voice, mixed with his personality that shines on any stage, makes me think that if Prince were still alive, there would be a collaboration of sorts. I know that’s a strong statement to make, especially for someone in Minneapolis, where Prince is and will always be king, but I mean it. From the talent to the showmanship, Billy Allen has something about him that screams Prince, but not in a carbon-copy kind of way.

My Billy Allen + The Pollies shirt doesn’t have tour dates on it or a cat printed on it. I really didn’t need another t-shirt, but the truth is, Billy Allen + The Pollies had left me speechless and in love for the second time in a row. The least I could do was buy a t-shirt in support of this truly stellar act and wear it with pride every chance I get.

Line Up:

Burning Blue Rain

Billy Allen + The Pollies

Venue: 7th Street Entry

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing

Average Age of the Crowd: 42

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Dance-ability-6 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)-

Burning Blue Rain – 1

Billy Allen + The Pollies – 1

Celebrity Sightings – Katy Tessman

Overall Score- 9.5 out of 10

Show on Deck —The Spill Canvas / Punchline / Thomas Nicholas Band

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