Girl at the Rock Shows

How can you really pick the best new bands in a scene as vibrant and fruitful as the music scene up here in the Twin Cities? Honestly, I don’t think it can be done, but iconic music venue First Avenue tries every year. Although I think some bands deserved the honor of playing this marathon of a show that didn’t get chosen, First Avenue did a great job curating a marathon of local music that spanned all kinds of vibes, genres, sounds, and moods. It was indeed a marathon. Seven bands shoved into about four hours– it may as well have been a festival, and, although exhausted, I was ready to see some bands I had seen multiple times before and some I had never even heard of. With seven bands, there’s definitely a lot to say, so buckle up, and let’s dig into the seven acts that First Avenue chose as their “Best New Bands of 2024”.

Kicking things off was The Dalmatian Club. This indie-pop group started in 2022 (which, in my opinion, should have taken them out of the running of this show, but I was more than happy to have them get my night started). Their sound focuses on catchy riffs and infectious choruses, all done with a sense of positivity and depth. Although they were playing as people were still filtering into the legendary venue, they didn’t hold back, and they gave the quickly growing crowd a danceable beat to walk into and a sound that instantly turned any frown walking in into a smile.

I have had the honor of catching the next band, Kiernan, a couple of times now. I’ll be honest, although they aren’t “my band,” as I find their sound to be just a bit too chill and calm, I am starting to catch onto the subtle and beautiful power contained in their music. Vocalist Laura Kiernan absolutely has a set of pipes on her that reigned supreme throughout their set on Friday night. Although there were moments where that aforementioned timid quietness of this band seemed to be drowned out by the excited chatter of the audience happening around me, Kiernan stood their ground and ended up giving a truly dazzling performance.

Of all seven groups that played on Friday night, I found Bizhiki to be the most interesting. Their sound is unlike anything else that happened throughout the show and, truthfully, unlike anything I have seen a full set of before. Their music is soulful, but it’s not soul music. It mixes traditional Native sounds and languages with a more modern twist. The beauty of Bizhiki’s set was clearly not lost on anyone in the room. Although it felt a bit more serious than the previous two acts, I saw a beauty in the way the audience went absolutely silent as Bizhiki performed spoken word over the traditional powwow singing and hand drumming. I also saw people getting into their more indie and avant-garde pop beats that accompanied the more traditional sound. A group like Bizhiki is precisely what this event is about. It was something different, it was something beautiful, and it was something so significant for all of us to experience.

The fact that Bizhiki was followed by Christy Costello is another reason why this event is so great. Being the only punk-leaning act on the bill, Christy Costello quickly shifted the room’s mood into something a bit more party-like but still full of passion and fire. Joined on stage by a massive band, Christy Costello had the audience moving and grooving by the time her short set was over. No surprise there. I’ve seen Christy many times and always love how her set feels so energetic and well-rehearsed yet organically fun and full of life.

Shining light on the amazing local hip-hop and rap scene was Ethiopian-born Mati. Mati’s sound was absolutely in line with the iconic Minnesota hip-hop sound that I have fallen in love with over the years. His raps were relatable, and his flow was on point. I loved how Mati was joined on stage by a full band, as it not only filled out the room perfectly but also gave us all a chance to see Mati’s genuine and sweet interactions with his band members. Mati may be young, but it’s clear that this kid knows what he’s doing. His name is new to me, but he absolutely has my attention after his set on Friday night.

porch light is truly a new band. They came together quickly in the summer of 2024 and instantly became a hit on social media. From all that I can gather, this group had a song that hit big on TikTok, and after seeing their short performance on Friday night, I can see why. Their sound is your classic indie-pop kind of sound, but it’s served with an extra razzle-dazzle. I loved the brightness that came from vocalist Jackie Uhas’ voice, but how, even with that brightness, there was a sense of emotion and depth behind everything she sang. Add that classic indie-pop instrumentation that the members of porch light does so well and you were left with an awesome set that was so easy to dance and fall in love to.

Like Sean McPherson of Jazz88 (and one of the night’s hosts) said, jazz is having a moment right now, and room3 is one of the reasons for that. I don’t like jazz. I’ve explained this before. My dad is a jazz fanatic, and I can only assume that my not liking jazz is part of the angsty side of me that never grew up from high school, but I love room3 and was so stoked to see that they were on this bill. Unfortunately, by the time they took the stage, the show was running a bit behind, and it was pretty dang late. I don’t blame the people who left early, leaving a giant hole in the audience, but I do feel bad for them because they missed a classic room3 set. It was full of casual improvisation that felt natural but creative and genuine. From the epic sax solos to the dazzling key portions, steady bass lines, and the incredible drumming from the best drummer in town (not kidding), RAWTWHYLAH, Room3 was the perfect way to end the night and a perfect example of just how amazing and diverse the Twin Cities music scene is.

Hosted by Jill Riley of The Current, Joey Peterson of Radio K, Kirsta Wax of KFAI, and Sean McPherson of Jazz88, First Avenue’s Best New Bands of 2024 was absolutely a success. Sure, I could sit here and explain why some of these acts probably shouldn’t have been on the bill, being that they didn’t actually get their start in 2024, but, as I mentioned, I wouldn’t want to be the one to have to nail down this amazing music scene to just seven new bands, and I think that the people behind the booking of this event truly did a fantastic job showing insane diversity and stunning talent.

I kept things brief on all of these acts, but that’s purely because of the sheer number of bands that performed on Friday night. When you have some free time, I highly suggest you dig into each of these acts. They all absolutely deserve your attention and your love.

Line Up:

The Dalmatian Club

Kiernan

Bizhiki

Christy Costello

Mati

porch light

room3

Venue: First Avenue

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 38

Crowd Surfers- None

Stage Divers- None

Mosh-ability- 0 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- 0

Broken Bones- None Noticed

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)-

The Dalmatian Club – 1

Kiernan – 2

Bizhiki – 0

Christy Costello – 3

Mati – 0

porch light – 0

room3 – 1

Celebrity Sightings – anni xo

Overall Score – 8.8 out of 10

Show on Deck — Sluice / Porridge Radio

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