Girl at the Rock Shows

Watching the Super Bowl is not for me. I honestly don’t care much about sports; the halftime shows seem to be going downhill, and let’s not even get into how crappy ads have been the past few years. Long story short, I’ll do anything I can to avoid the multiple Super Bowl watch parties I get invited to every year, but it can sometimes be challenging as many bands avoid the night. It was honestly slim pickings when it came to what show to go to on Sunday night, but something was happening at First Avenue’s legendary main room that I had never heard of before, and, truthfully, that just sounded like more fun than sitting around a TV and acting like I knew what was going on with the game or even cared.

The second that opening act Johan Lenox took the stage, I knew this wouldn’t be a “normal” show for me. Joined on stage by a cellist, violinist, and someone behind a computer, Johan took his seat behind a keyboard and instantly started playing music that was so foreign to me yet so comforting. It was this cool blend of indie pop tones but with this almost orchestral undertone. It was that orchestral and classical undertone that really caught me off guard but also really made me love this opening set. It wasn’t just in the strings that were part of the performance but also how he conducted these string players throughout the set. Like any professional classic ensemble director, Johan (born Stephen Feigenbaum) used his hands to show them when to cut off the notes, crescendo, etc. At first, I thought this was super weird. Was it just a schtick? Toward the end of the set, Johan Lennox explained that he had never played with this cellist and violinist before and that he always hired local talent when it came to these roles. That changed everything for me in a way. It showed a sense of trust but also a very organic grass-roots ideal to an already dazzling set. Long story short, Johan Lenox was unlike anything I had ever seen or heard before, but it was a highlight of the night for me.

Following Johan Lenox was Houston-born Bryant Barnes. Bryant had a much more standard pop singer-songwriter vibe to his set, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it was bland or generic. Bryant’s voice is absolutely stunning. It’s dark with an air of mystery behind it, but it is also the kind of voice that you could hear on the radio and not think twice about. His acoustic covers on TikTok have made this kid famous overnight, but the talent he put in the spotlight on Sunday night at First Avenue will surely keep his name relevant. Beyond his amazing voice is the depth that comes through in his lyrics. Sure, most of his songs felt like love songs, but there was a hidden sense of pain behind some, and others had a subtle feeling of boisterous joy. Hearing how Bryant intertwined these juxtaposing ideals within his songs while ensuring each song left room for interpretation was just the cherry on top for me.

As mentioned, Super Bowl Sunday is a hard day to host a show, but there had to be something about this show that would make First Avenue still hold it on the “holiday.” I was nervous at the beginning of the night because the audience was light, but when it was time for headlining act 070 Shake to take the stage, I realized it had filled up with many young and excited kids. I quickly felt my age as I scanned the audience and realized I was one of the oldest in attendance, but this piqued my interest. I know many people out there think kids don’t know good music, but I beg to differ. Sure, there are some questionable acts that got big just because kids latched onto them but really have nothing to bring to the table, but there are also acts that are super talented and bring loads to the table. Thankfully for me, 070 Shake falls in the latter category.
070 Shake (pronounced “oh seven oh shake”) is Danielle Balbuena. She is a rapper and singer who has spent plenty of time on the charts yet has somehow stayed under the radar for the most part. She really hit it big with her guest appearance on Raye’s single “Escapism” in 2022, but honestly, I don’t know that song. Maybe it’s something the kids know, maybe I’m just living under a rock, or maybe I have no clue what’s really going on in the world of music these days. What I do know is that I have seen the light that is 070 Shake, and after her performance on Sunday night, I think I might be in love.

The first thing that struck me about 070 Shake’s performance was the drama that she brought to the stage. For the entire first song, Danielle and her live band stayed behind an iridescent sheet that concealed the back half of the stage. She played around with shadows throughout the first song. At first, I didn’t really read into this, but as I got to know her music a bit more through her performance, I really liked how these shadows seemed to be an ode to her sound. Her sound can be super dark at times but, at others, super light and bouncy. Throughout her set, the audience got to go through a rollercoaster ride of emotions spanning from dark and cry-in-the-closet vibes to pure EDM show chaos. Maybe I’m reading a bit too far into this all and the shadows and iridescent sheet was just for a “look” but I’d like to think it was so much more than that.

Clearly, I was struck by the peaks and valleys of 070 Shake’s sound, but beyond that were all of the stylistic changes that happened throughout her time on stage. As mentioned, her sound could go from sad and emo to explosive and EDM within the blink of an eye. Beyond that, there was something very soulful and almost R&B-leaning about her voice throughout the performance. It didn’t matter what style 070 Shake was performing; there was a crystal clear and smooth feeling in her voice that created a very lush atmosphere throughout the venue.

Truthfully, I was only at First Avenue on Sunday night, so I didn’t have to go to a Super Bowl party. I don’t regret going, but I do regret that this show was not on my radar because it ended up being such a beautiful and unique night of amazing music.

Line Up:

Johan Lenox

Bryant Barnes

070 Shake

Venue: First Avenue

Smell-O-Meter: Jazz Cigarettes

Average Age of the Crowd: 22

Crowd Surfers- None

Stage Divers- None

Mosh-ability- 2 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)-

Johan Lenox – 0

Bryant Barnes – 0

070 Shake – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 7.8 out of 10

Show on Deck — Sarah & The Safe Word / Machinery of the Human Heart / Everybody’s Worried about Owen

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