Girl at the Rock Shows

When you’re a live music addict in a scene as active as the Twin Cities, one concert a night just isn’t enough. There’s so much amazing music to see, and there’s just not enough time, but on some nights, you can hit the jackpot. Sometimes, you get an all-ages show that will be done early, and you still have time to rush across town to catch another show. That was my Saturday night. After spending the first half of my evening at a sold-out Fine Line with Pinkshift and The Linda Lindas, I skirted through downtown and landed at The Icehouse in Uptown Minneapolis just in time to catch the last two acts of the night.

Before I talk about the two acts that I was able to catch, I want to send a sincere apology to the opening act, Eldest Daughter. Having just seen them a couple of weeks ago at Cloudland, I knew what I missed, and that was surely pure perfection and an insane amount of heart. I’m bummed that I couldn’t make it in time to see their set on Saturday night, but I made up for it by listening to their music on my way home when my night was finally said and done.

When I finally found parking and made it inside The Icehouse, I was in time to catch the tail end of Emmy Woods’ set. Although Emmy’s sound definitely leans a bit more low-key than I tend to go for, she had me captivated the instant I walked into the cozy venue. There’s such a sense of warmth that comes from this woman, and when joined by her talented band, there’s no escaping her grasp. Luckily for me, I got there in time to hear my favorite song from Emmy, “Ballad of Lake Superior.” It’s a ghost song of sorts with a genuinely haunting and beautiful motif that always gives me chills. Although I was a bit stressed and panicked, what with being late and the insanity of my night already, something about hearing this song made everything smooth over. It made me calm, it gave me a chance to catch my breath, and by the end of the track, I realized that everything was right in the world (well, kind of) and that I was right where I was supposed to be.

The Icehouse was packed. Not as packed as the sold-out Fine Line that I had just come from but packed and that made my heart so happy because this show was a celebration of local singer-songwriter FINICK and FINICK deserves every butt that was in a seat in this venue and every smile on the audience member’s faces. FINICK was celebrating the release of her brand new album ‘Weekends in Purgatory.’ Having just reviewed the album earlier this week, I knew what was about to happen. I knew I was going to be treated to fun and boppy tracks along with heartfelt sonnets and ballads, all presented by this young musician who is turning heads.

The first time I met FINICK was when she was a guest on a radio show that I regularly co-host. I remember falling in love with her that day, but I also remember her coming off as ridiculously shy and slightly timid. Don’t get me wrong, I could hear the power in her voice when I heard her music for the first time that day, but I feared that her quiet personality might get the best of her and hold her back. Like I often admit, I worry too much. As she performed on Saturday night, I couldn’t help but laugh a bit. I used to be worried that maybe FINICK was too shy to pull this off, but there she was, singing her originals with a sense of fire and presenting the audience with a truly flawless rendition of a Fleetwood Mac song. FINICK clearly has come into her own and clearly knows her strength, as she showed us on Saturday night. That being said, there was still something cute and innocent about her performance. From the way that she mentioned that her brother and his friend were slinging merch for her (this statement came complete with an eye roll that only someone with siblings would understand) to the way she thanked everyone so sincerely at the end of the night, I loved that I still got to see that sparkle of innocence and shyness while also being blown away by her talent at the same time.

We heard new songs, old songs, and covers- we heard it all, but it wasn’t enough. FINICK is one of those acts that has such a versatile sound. Every time a new song started, you would pick up on a new element you hadn’t heard previously in the set and instantly want more of that. Instead of expanding on that small element, FINICK and the rest of the band would jump into an entirely different world where, again, you would pick up on something new and want so much more of. It was a vicious cycle but a brilliant one on FINICK’s part because it left you intrigued like a cliffhanger.

So, what comes next for this young musician? College is right around the corner for her. Will FINICK continue? I don’t know how much I’m allowed to say on this front, but this brilliant and talented woman is just getting started, and it would really behoove you to jump on this wagon before it runs out of room.

Line Up:

Eldest Daughter

Emmy Woods

FINICK

Venue: Icehouse

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

Average Age of the Crowd: 42

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

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)-

Emmy Woods – 1

FINICK – 1

Celebrity Sightings – Sammie Jean

Overall Score – 8 out of 10

Show on Deck — Wheatus / Rematch / Scorched Waves

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