Girl at the Rock Shows

It has been years since I reviewed Sarah and the Safe Word’s ‘Good Gracious! Bad People.’ album— about five years, to be exact– but they have been a constant in my daily playlists. I fell head over heels for their dramatic sound and theatrical vibes, and I always dreamt of the day I would get to see it all play out live at a show. That time came on Tuesday. I was annoyed. The doors for this show were at 5 PM, and the music was at 6 PM. That doesn’t sound bad, right? But I have a schedule, and that schedule typically includes a nice nap after the day job to re-set for my nightly shows. If I don’t get that nap, I turn into a very crabby Girl at the Rock Shows. With such an early start time, that nap had to be cut down to a quarter of what I typically get, and when I got off the couch and made my way to the car, I couldn’t help but be a bit grumpy about the situation. I wove through the tail end of rush hour traffic and made it to the Underground Music Cafe just in time for the show to start. I may have been crabby, but that didn’t last long because as I stepped foot in this beautiful space, I realized that I was about to cross Sarah and the Safe Word off of my bucket list.

Before Sarah and the Safe Word took the super cozy and intimate stage, I was treated to two genuinely amazing and fantastical opening acts. The first one was Machinery of the Human Heart. The theatre-pop brainchild of Marvin Allister, I was quickly catapulted into Marvin’s world and, by the end of it, felt like I had known Marvin for an entire lifetime. The first thing that struck me about this opening set was the words. They were raw, they were emotional, but they were chosen so eloquently. The way this performer conveyed colors and textures through just their voice and keyboard had me absolutely floored. The talent of this human is immense, and you could hear that, again, through both the vocals and the stunning piano playing that ranged from a bluesy vibe to something a bit more reminiscent of stride piano, which, if you know what that is, is absolutely insane to see live and, to see someone singing while doing this style was nothing short of jaw-dropping.

I can not understate how quickly I fell head over heels for Machinery of the Human Heart. Beyond everything I just laid out, their music confused me in all of the right ways. As mentioned, this felt like a theatre-pop project. There was definitely a musical theatre quality to everything Marvin did throughout the set, but there was also something very pop and commercial about it. At the same time, there was such a tragic beauty behind most of the songs. Marvin sang about a little bit of everything, but all of the songs revolved around finding yourself in a world where nobody wants to let you be you. Again, tragic beauty but the way that they juxtaposed that with the grandiose piano playing led to a dynamic and perfectly confusing set. When it was all said and done, the first thing I heard when I took my earplugs out (safety first– always wear hearing protection at shows!) was someone next to me telling their friend, “I almost cried.” That sums up Machinery of the Human Heart’s set so well. It was emotional, it was vulnerable, it was raw, relatable, and perfect.

The second act to take the stage was Everybody’s Worried About Owen- another solo act with a completely different vibe but the same message and vulnerability. This self-proclaimed folk-punk gateway drug instantly caught my heart, much like MOHH had. It was their first time in Minnesota, but they definitely left an impression on everyone who had come out to this show. Owen is a fast talker and fast singer. Their songs are definitely folk-punk but had an almost theatrical element to them, making them a perfect fit for this outstanding line-up. Even though they sped through their songs, every track that Owen played hit, and it hit hard. Like MOHH, a lot of the songs revolved around finding yourself and trying to remain yourself, but there were also quirkier songs that showcased a more whimsical side of this performer.

I never thought I would love a show with homework, but Owen gave us all a little homework. They did a cover of “Spaceship” by Art Sorority. Before jumping into the cover, they asked the audience who had heard of this band. It was silent, and Owen quickly explained that this was our homework- to check out Art Sorority. I’ve never heard the band, but after hearing the quirkiness and heart that came with this cover, I am excited to dig into the band today. Why am I spending so much time talking about this singular cover of a band that nobody in the room had heard before? Because it speaks to Owen’s DIY ethics and the overall feeling of the night. Not only was Tuesday night an all-ages show that was truly accessible to all and a safe place for all, but it was also a place to learn about new music, and I love that Everybody’s Worried About Owen took the time to shine a light on other acts while making sure their spirit stayed in the spotlight.

Things moved ridiculously fast on Tuesday night, and before I knew it, Sarah and the Safe Word was kicking into their set. I had imagined what they might sound like live. I had lowered my expectations slightly because their sound on recording is perfectly curated chaos. It’s intense and all over the place, and, in my mind, there was no way they could fit that all into a live performance. I was wrong, and this group truly exceeded all of my expectations. Their dramatic theatre-pop-punk sound came through the speakers flawlessly. Every little intricate detail I heard in their recordings popped through the sonic boom of their overall sound. On top of it all, their performance gave the audience a feeling of fun and carefree vibes, but it was also clear that this group was there to provide the audience with a fully finished and flawless product (which they did).

Here’s the deal: I listen to a lot of music (obviously), and, from time to time, I find myself at a loss for words when it comes to describing a band’s sound or performance. That’s not the case here. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. I could think of a million and twelve words to describe the sounds of Sarah and the Safe Word’s overall sound and the songs they played on Tuesday night. I could also use many words to describe the energy and life they brought to the tiny stage at the Underground Music Cafe. It would be a list of words like cabaret, gothic, chamber pop, Mariachi, folk punk, pop-punk, swing, 1920s jazz– the list goes on and on. I could do the same thing when it comes to making comparisons to other bands. That list would go something like Gogol Bordello, Panic at the Disco, Tim Burton, Ella Fitzgerald, Spice Girls, Elton John, Dresden Dolls– again, the list goes on and on. I realize that these all seem like random words and musicians, but that’s what makes Sarah and the Safe Word such a standout act. They have somehow brought all of these influences and sounds together to create something truly unlike anything else you’ve ever heard, and they do it with a flare for the dramatic and a fire of passion that reigns supreme.

Sure, Tuesday night’s show wasn’t huge, and it surely won’t be the biggest show I go to all week, but I think I can go ahead and say that Tuesday night at Underground Music Cafe is the best and most creative show I will see all week.

Line Up:

Machinery of the Human Heart

Everybody’s Worried About Owen

Sarah and the Safe Word

Venue: Underground Music Cafe

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 17

Crowd Surfers- None

Stage Divers- None

Mosh-ability- 1 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)-

Machinery of the Human Heart – 0

Everybody’s Worried About Owen – 0

Sarah and the Safe Word – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 9.8 out of 10

Show on Deck — Murder Curious / Couch Potato Massacre / Mommy Log Balls

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