Girl at the Rock Shows

You can take the girl out of the dive bar but can’t take the dive bar out of the girl… or can you? I switched things up on Sunday night, and instead of going to a more classic bar setting to see some music, I grabbed a friend, and we went to a swanky jazz club. The Dakota in Minneapolis is legendary. It’s a beautiful venue with candlelit tables, cloth napkins, and fancy drinks. Definitely not my speed and a setting that can often make me feel a bit too out of place, but on Sunday night, I didn’t care. I was about to finally cross Skerryvore off my bucket list. I didn’t care where I was- this was an exciting night for me.

My friend and I ordered what was probably one of the fanciest and most delicious dinners we had had in a hot minute. You could say that we got wrapped up in the fanciness of this venue a wee bit. From her mushroom and tomato spaghetti to my weird squash raviolo (which, if you were wondering, means just one giant ravioi), we were in culinary bliss, but instead of opting for a fancy cocktail (some of which sounded absolutely divine), she washed her meal down with a beer, and I opted for root beer on tap. Like I said, you can take the girl out of the dive bar, but you can’t take the dive bar out of the girl. We laughed and joked about how this is why we can’t have nice things, you know, the typical things you joke about when you feel way out of your league and a bit out of your standard setting but, as the lights went down for the opening act of the night, none of that mattered. All that mattered was the music.

Cassie and Maggie are a folk duo from Nova Scotia. Their traditional folk music floated through the air of the nearly sold-out venue so beautifully and instantly captured the hearts and souls of everyone in attendance. With Maggie on lead vocals and guitar and then Cassie on the fiddle and more vocals, there was a harmony to their sound that would send chills up the spine of a stone statue. I loved how this sibling duo played with blurring the line between modern and traditional. Although their sound is rooted in traditional Gaelic folk songs, there was no denying where the modern influence lay in their music, which created a whole new sound that, like their harmonies and Maggie’s stunning fiddle playing, left me floored.

On top of their beautiful set, this duo spent some time interacting with the audience and telling stories about growing up in a super large musical family in Nova Scotia. They found ways to relate to the Minneapolis audience, especially when they were talking up their merch, which included a winter starter pack (which came complete with a knit hat, a tote bag- you know, for your skates- and some other things). It was cute and fun to see this duo, who clearly take their craft so seriously, have a little bit of fun as they tried to loosen up the crowd in preparation for what was to come. Just when I thought I had seen it all from this duo, they ended their set with a small step dancing portion. As if these women hadn’t already proven they could do it all, ending their set with this little surprise truly took their set over the edge in all of the right ways.

Although I was super excited for Skerryvore and would consider them a bucket list band, I wouldn’t be surprised if you have never heard of them, so let me give you some background. Skerryvore is a Scottish Celtic rock band from Scotland. Their sound, like the sound of Maggie and Cassie, blurs the line between traditional and modern, focusing on traditional instrumentation but having a sound that almost feels a bit Imagine Dragons-esque. Okay, don’t stop reading because I just name-dropped Imagine Dragons. I actually really like that band, and there’s no denying their talent. I also don’t know that that’s the perfect comparison here, but it was the name at the tip of my tongue throughout Skerryvore’s set on Sunday night. So, how did I get hooked on this band? Honestly, the bagpipes. As a piper myself, I always feel a thrill when I hear bands with a bagpiper, and Skerryvore has two, so yeah, I was obsessed. Beyond that, I found their sound to be uplifting and fun, perfect for those days when you don’t know what to listen to but know you want something that will spice up your life ever so slightly while keeping you calm. That’s where Skerryvore comes in when it comes to the daily playlist of my life, and that’s where they have been for years.

After a quick intro, the band took over the stage and the entirety of the airspace inside of the Dakota. It was a boisterous and bombastic sound but with two pipers, that was a given. I loved the way that, although bagpipes have an abrasive sound, this band blended them in with everything else happening on stage, creating a perfectly balanced sound. From the accordion to the keys, you could hear everything happening on stage, which, for such a huge band, is a feat and a half. Their fifteen song set, followed by two song encore was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. They had fun jigs that had people dancing in the aisles but also slow and steady love songs that had you ready to pull a lighter out and start slowly waving your arms in the air. Regardless of what style of song this band was performing, they were giving the audience nothing short of fire and passion with everything they did. Even when addressing the crowd, you could just feel this spark about the members of Skerryvore that told you that they are truly happy to be where they are and doing what they’re doing.

You can take the girl out of the dive bar but can’t take the dive bar out of the girl, and sometimes that girl likes to treat herself to a fancy dinner (with a draft root beer) and some amazing Celtic rock music at a legendary jazz club. Life is weird, and it can take you to many places. Just buckle up and go where the music (or, in this case, Skerryvore) takes you.

Line Up:

Cassie and Maggie

Skerryvore

Venue: Dakota

Smell-O-Meter: The amazing food of The Dakota

Average Age of the Crowd: 48

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Dance-ability- 7 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)-

Maggie and Cassie – 0

Skerryvore – 0

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score –9 out of 10

Show on Deck — PLVS VLTRA / Comets Ov Cupid / Erik’s Iridescent Tent

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