Girl at the Rock Shows

Being at the enormous Armory venue the past couple of nights as just another face in the crowd at back-to-back Vampire Weekend shows was awesome, but I’ll be honest, it was a lot. I like my venues a bit more intimate and my shows with a little less production value than what I got on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing Ra Ra Riot and Vampire Weekend as they both killed it both nights, but I was missing that magical feeling of a raw and gritty live show, so walking into Cloudland Theater on Thursday night for a small local show was liking taking a first breath of fresh air after holding it for a long time, and that was just what I needed.

Self-proclaimed sappy, sloppy, slacker rock act Pyrrhic Victories was up first on the small stage. Usually a full band, Pyrrhic Victories came to us in the form of a solo project on Thursday and it couldn’t have been a more perfect way to kick off the night. Jens Hoifeldt has such a voice behind them. It’s soothing and calming, but there’s an undeniable sense of grit and emotion hidden behind every syllable performed. If I had to compare Jens’ sound to someone, I would have to say it reminded me a bit of bands like Modern Baseball and Grad Life, but it was even sadder than that. I know that doesn’t sound like a compliment, but it is one and one that I offer up from the bottom of my heart. I loved that Jens showed a sense of vulnerability on the stage, and even though there weren’t many people in the audience, I think it’s safe to say that that vulnerability and passion hit us each like a ton of bricks.

Following the quick opening set was another staggering and emotion-filled set from mouthful. mouthful, like Pyrrhic Victories, is a local band that I know nothing about, but after their set on Thursday night, I want to know everything there is to know about this band. Overall, mouthful’s sound was fairly lo-fi feeling but there was such a sense of power that radiated throughout their set. I know that sentence is a huge contradiction, but I don’t know how else to put it. There were moments where there was a sense of raw emotion fluttering through the air, followed by an almost aloe-like cooling effect. As the band danced between the two worlds of calm and intense, I found myself completely lost in the beauty of it. The members of this group didn’t look like they were trying super hard to change anyone’s mental state or anything like that, yet I felt all of the feelings as they powered through the set.

Closing out the quick but beautiful show at Cloudland on Thursday night was the one and only Lifestyle Shakes. I actually just caught this band for the first time last Sunday when I saw them play at Palmfest at Palmer’s (which I didn’t write about because sometimes I need a show where I just go and don’t work). I’ll be honest: there was a lot going on that Sunday, and it was hard to really focus on the music, but they had me struck with their classic punk rock sound that leaned and bent into other genres, so I was excited to have Thursday night where there weren’t as many distractions, and I could really take it all in.

Lifestyle Shakes’ sound is no-frills, and I love that. It’s clear that the members of this band all came with a different flavor to add to the group as a whole, and instead of trying to make it all sound like just one thing, the band decided to let each member take that influence and run with it. From drum fills that belonged more in a hardcore-leaning band than just a straight-up rock group to bluesy intricacies on the keys, I loved that every moment of Lifestyle Shakes’ set brought something new to hear and, in turn, something new to feel.

Full disclosure: it was a pretty dead night at Cloudland on Thursday, and, honestly, that killed me. After spending back-to-back nights at The Armory (which holds around 8,000 people), I know that live music is not dead in the Twin Cities (I mean, I knew before that, but you get it). So, where was everyone on Thursday? I can preach until I’m blue in the face about how great the local music scene is. I can write until my fingers bleed, but when push comes to shove, being at a show as good as the one on Thursday but not seeing a packed house just pains me so much. So what are you doing with your life? Sure, go enjoy those giant shows and singalong to songs that are on the radio, but make sure to balance that out with the sheer talent and passion that happens nightly on stages across the Twin Cities. Stop letting venues sit empty when there is no shortage of talent on their stages. Get out and support local music.

Line Up:

Pyrrhic Victories

mouthful

Lifestyle Shakes

Venue: Cloudland

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 38

Crowd Surfers- None Spotted

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-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 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)-

Pyrrhic Victories – 0

mouthful – 0

Lifestyle Shakes – 1

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8 out of 10

Show on Deck — Continuals / DUG / Battery Eyes

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