Girl at the Rock Shows

And we’re off as far as the new year is concerned. After a much-needed break, I was ready to get back to shows and get 2025 started off right. As with nearly every night here in the Twin Cities, about a dozen shows were happening. I would have loved to be at all of them, but at the end of the day, I’m just one person, and I had to make a choice. I typically go with my gut when it comes to deciding what show to go to, and luckily for me, my gut is typically right, with Saturday being no exception.

The blustery walk from the parking garage to the Fine Line in downtown Minneapolis was less than enjoyable, but as soon as I walked into the venue, I was greeted with that familiar warmth that only comes with faces of strangers and loud bass pumping through the speakers. Within no time, opening act Oister Boy was taking the stage. The versatility of this band will never cease to amaze me. From indie-rock to rap-metal to punk to pop, Oister Boy’s sound is all over the place. I picked up on a bit more of a 90s vibe from their set on Saturday night that I hadn’t really picked up on when seeing them previously. Has it always been there? Or was the Everclear playlist I had been jamming all day getting to my head? Either way, I loved seeing Oister Boy in a new hue but, just when I was really leaning into that vibe, the band changed it all and gave the packed audience an almost rap-metal styled breakdown before closing their set with a super original cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic”. Although people were still trying to unthaw from the arctic tundra that we call home, Oyster Boy was a heck of a way to kick the night off.

Following Oister Boy was another band I have seen a few times but continue to come back for more– Killed By Kiwis. Honestly, I keep going back to try and figure out this band. Although I still don’t quite get them, I again fell in love with their charm. The first time I saw this band, I talked about them having an identity crisis. Although that may seem harsh, I don’t take it back and must mention it again. Like Oister Boy, Killed By Kiwis’ sound refuses to be put in a box but it’s more than that. The members of this band all look like they came from a different scene, a different group, and I think that makes their overall sound so unique. Killed By Kiwis debuted a new song and played through their latest track, “Cope,” which dropped on Saturday. Although I’ve always loved this band and their music, I think “Cope” is their best work yet, and I am so excited to see what this new year has in store for this fantastic local act.

Anita Velveeta, the next act to take the stage in front of an absolutely packed Fine Line, is a name that I’ve been seeing a lot lately, and I was stoked to kick my year off by crossing them off my bucket list. Much like vocalist Anita Velveeta kept apologizing to their dad for some of the lyrical content, I must apologize for sleeping on this band. I was hooked before the music even started. Anita welcomed the audience and mentioned that, after playing PissFest (a local music festival that I sadly missed due to having other shows that night), people had mentioned to them that some of the fans didn’t know mosh etiquette. I could feel my eyes rolling in the back of my head as they talked about this because I thought I knew where the conversation was going– pick people up if they fall down, no crowd killing, etc.– but, instead, Anita urged the crowd to go crazy and make them proud which is precisely what happened.

It was song after song of perfectly curated chaos. Lyrics about everything from stealing from Target to being “Bored With Tinder, Scared of Grinder” floated through the air, but my eyes were on the audience. I loved how they were responding to the heavy and chaotic music and how, after each song, it was as if people were checking in on those around them. I saw strangers turn into friends and even made some friends myself as they tried to shield my camera from any of the crowdsurfers. Although I didn’t need the help as I have been in much more insane pits than this, there was something about those moments that just warmed my heart, and having Anita Velveeta be the soundtrack to it was beyond perfect. I could honestly write a whole blog post on this band, but I will spare you; assuming this band will have me back to cover more of their shows, I will be writing about them multiple times this year, so brace yourself (or, better yet, just go see this amazing local band with me next time!).

It really bummed me out that some of the audience had cleared out by the time headlining act Early Eyes took the stage, but after just a couple of tracks from them, all I could do was mutter, “Their loss” when it came to those that chose to leave early. Early Eyes’ sound instantly intrigued me. It was very indie-electro-pop, but it felt like it was written for an apocalypse. It was dark with these seemingly random moments of pure panic and chaos sprinkled throughout a more chill and danceable set. I was captivated by vocalist/ keyboardist Jake “Ren” Berglove. There was something delicate about the way that they performed, yet I was floored by the angst and emotion that they fit into every note, every beat, every movement. There were these gorgeous moments where Jake would almost contort their body into artistic movements while giving you slightly eerie tones from the keyboards and vocals. Add in the rest of the band that let Jake take the helm while not being ignored themselves and you were left with the kind of set where I wasn’t quite sure where to look but never took my eyes off the stage.

In 2024, I covered 250 concerts and saw 801 bands. Saturday night’s show marks the beginning of 2025 where I hope to see 300 concerts and over 1000 bands. I’m not sure if I’ll hit those goals, but one thing is for sure, I got this year started off right.

Line Up:

Oister Boy

Killed By Kiwis

Anita Velveeta

Early Eyes

Venue: Fine Line

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 25

Crowd Surfers- 13

Stage Divers- Around 7 but to say that people were “diving” would be a bit of a stretch. They were more bunny hops off the stage

Mosh-ability- 8 out of 10

Broken Bones- None Spotted

Spotted Flying Through The Air- A few bodies; A few drinks

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)-

Oister Boy – 2

Killed By Kiwis – 3

Anita Velveeta – 0

Early Eyes – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8.7 out of 10

Show on Deck —Not Your Baby / Cheif Opossum / The Weeping Covenant

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