Girl at the Rock Shows

Friday night’s show almost didn’t happen for me. I was interested in it because Whiskey Rock ‘N’ Roll Club MPLS was slated to perform, and it has been a bit too long since I’ve seen them. Due to a family emergency of one of the members, the band dropped off the show just two days prior. I thought about bailing on the show myself because of this. I mean, I didn’t know anything about the other three bands performing, and honestly, a night off at home didn’t sound like the worst idea. At the same time, the idea of going to a show where I knew nothing about anything but in a setting that I absolutely adore (shout out to the Hook & Ladder Theater) didn’t sound half bad either. After some going back and forth, I conned a friend into spending the night with me and checking out whatever was going to happen with the remaining three bands on the line-up.

Modern Dads was the first band to take the stage at the intimate Mission Room at the gorgeous Hook & Ladder Theater. As the name may lead you to believe, this trio is made up of modern dads, and I low-key loved how that turned into the theme of the night. Although far from the most exciting set I saw this week (I mean, they were up against bands like Gwar and Squid Pisser; they honestly didn’t stand a chance), I loved how much fun this band seemed to be having on stage. Their sound was a little grunge, a little prog, a little stoner, and a whole lot of heart. They had this vibe about them that screamed garage rock, but it was so much more than that, with their original compositions taking over the room and, in turn, my heart. No dad band would be complete without dad jokes, and this trio had them ready to go. I’m always down for a good dad joke, and although not all of them landed with the modest audience, they all got at least a chuckle out of me.

Following Modern Dads was Angry At Numbers. Although a new band to me, Angry At Numbers is far from an actual new band. This group has been doing their thing since 2003, and although it seems like they don’t play often, when they do, it’s definitely worth checking out. Like the sound of Modern Dads and the overall performance of the opening band, Angry At Numbers’ set wasn’t the most exciting thing I saw or heard all week, but their rock n’ roll tunes definitely put a smile on my face. What I really liked about this band is that, although it felt like they weren’t really trying and more just hanging out on stage with some instruments and songs, there was something super clean about it. From everything I can find online, this band doesn’t play super often, but after witnessing the joy that they had while performing on Friday night and falling into their sound of just a good old-fashioned rock n’ roll band, Angry At Numbers is absolutely a band I wouldn’t mind seeing live again in the near future.

Closing out the quick and chill (yet fun and good) show on Friday night was The Rockford Mules. Another friend who has been in the local music scene for much longer than me and who had shown up explained that The Rockford Mules used to be a force in the music scene. Okay, that sounds bad or like they lost it when, within the first song of their set on Friday night, it was pretty clear that this band still has “it.” I’m just trying to point out that, like the other acts of the night, this band seems to stay fairly underground, and I’m honored that I got a chance to witness their musicianship on Friday night in the flesh. Like the other bands of the night, there wasn’t anything super odd or intense that stood out in their set. It was just a set of solid music done well and with a sense of fun and passion.

Stylistically, The Rockford Mules seemed to hit me a bit harder than the other bands of the night. There was this sense of swagger behind their music that seemed to hook me and was only deepened by the sound of a perfectly performed lap steel. Sure, their sound was beautiful, but it also had this sense of grit behind it that slightly reminded me of bands like Lucero and Slobberbone. For being at an otherwise unfamiliar show, I loved how I instantly felt at home with the sound of The Rockford Mules.

Friday night almost didn’t happen for me, but I’m trying to check out more new music in spaces I don’t frequent, surrounded by faces I don’t know. Ultimately, those kinds of nights are some of the best kinds. Case in point: Friday night.

Line Up:

Modern Dads

Angry at Numbers

The Rockford Mules

Venue: The Hook & Ladder Theater- The Mission Room

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing

Average Age of the Crowd: 45

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 0 out of 10

Broken Bones- None Spotted

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)-

Modern Dads – 0

Angry At Numbers – 0

The Rockford Mules – 0

Celebrity Sightings – Andy and Taylor of Whiskey Rock ‘n’ Roll Club MPLS (Although the band didn’t play, it was nice to see them still out and supporting!)

Overall Score – 8 out of 10

Show on Deck — David Liebe Hart / Careful Gaze / The Controversial New Skinny Pill / Shrimp Olympics

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