Girl at the Rock Shows

There was supposed to be an epic storm in the Twin Cities on Monday night. The keywords floating around town were “batten down the hatches” and “be prepared,” so naturally, I made my way downtown in the middle of it. Honestly, other than people feeling a bit more on edge than usual, nothing felt different. Sure, it was a little cloudy and there was a more ominous sky that seemed to surround the Twin Cities but, at the end of the night, that storm never came. Or did it? Sure, we didn’t get the epic tornadoes and hail that we had all been warned to “be prepared” for, but a storm still hit First Avenue on Monday night, and that storm came with the name AWOLNATION.

Opening up this storm of a show was big-wave surfer turned musician Makuaki Rothman. Under the name of Makua, Makuaki seemed to make those ominous clouds floating around the Twin Cities disappear within the first song. He and his band gave the growing audience a sound that was as bright and sunny as it was positive. His song somehow felt like sunshine. That could be the Hawaiian influence in his overall sound or some of the more reggae-leaning beats. On the other hand, Makua gave the audience a sense of depth to the music. There was pain, love, hurt, and joy all wrapped up in his island charm that I found, well, charming. It added a personality that felt raw and approachable to not only his music but Makua as a human. Makua’s set was a nice way to open up the night, as it got me in the right mood to be out and calm when everyone else seemed to be in a panic over the supposed storms.

The night’s progression was perfect as the next act to take the stage, Bryce Fox, seemed to take the chill energy of Makua and ramp it up ever so slightly as if preparing us for the power that AWOLNATION would eventually hit us with. Bryce Fox kept the very chill vibe that Makua had laid out but brought a more hip-hop flow to it. Stylistically, Bryce dabbles in a bit of everything, making his short time on stage feel insanely dynamic. From fast-spitting lines of words to more standard alt-rock anthems that soared through the air, I found Bryce to be a super engaging performer without saying much to the audience one-on-one. His movements on stage were graceful as if to lean into that more chill offering of his music, but, at the same time, he commanded the stage with a larger-than-life kind of presence that demanded the attention of all those in attendance at this show. I loved how I got a sense of fun but also felt almost intimidated by this man as he performed, but as soon as he was done, he left the stage and swiftly made his way over to the merch table. I don’t know why this stood out to me, but it just felt like this showed that Brice was truly in love with performing and meeting people, so he was not about to miss a chance to meet anyone who wanted to meet him.

When was the last time you thought about AWOLNATION? Honestly, for me, it’s been years, if not decades. “Sail,” the band’s 2011 mega-hit, has been played time and time again to the point where, in my world, it’s pretty much turned into the butt end of a bunch of jokes. That being said, it was a brilliant song that, when it comes on, I can’t help but feel a bit excited as a wave of nostalgia and energy takes me over. I know that AWOLNATION is so much more than this one song, but the truth is, to me, they are a one-hit-wonder, and I was surprised that they were playing the legendary and large First Avenue mainroom. As the house lights went down, I entered the photo pit and started to get ready to snap my photos. As soon as the music started, my camera went to my eye, but I couldn’t pull the trigger. I was surprised, shocked, and delighted to hear the deafening sound of fans screaming words into my right ear more than I could hear the actual band on my left. It was one of those moments where, before I could get to work, I really had to take a second and just take it in because I instantly knew that this was going to be so much more than seeing a band tool around on stage until they could play that one song that everyone wanted to hear. I was about to see a band that has a cult-like following and I was prepared to start drinking the Kool-Aid.

AWOLNATION has been around since 2009. As mentioned, their huge hit came out in 2011, so, in the grand scheme of things, this band was still in its infancy when their name hit the bright lights. It would have been so easy for this band to stop on top. I hate to say it, but that seems to be a bit of a trend when bands hit as big as these guys have, but instead of folding, AWOLNATION went on to release five more full-length albums, including their most recent album, ‘The Phantom Five,’ which came out last year. I knew none of the songs outside of “Sail,” which, naturally, was played at the end of their set, but that didn’t stop me from getting lost in AWOLNATION’s world.

I always thought that AWOLNATION was nothing more than an EDM-styled pop band. You know, a bit like Imagine Dragons, where they have pop and commercial tracks that just hit a bit harder than most due to heavy beats and an almost electronic influence, but I quickly learned that that is not the case. AWOLNATION is easily one of the most versatile bands I’ve seen and heard in a long time. From love-soaked ballad-like songs to intense hard rock anthems, this band took me on a journey that seemed to explore all of the corners of the music world. Their style was all over the place, which was absolutely my kind of thing, but that’s not what really impressed me about this band.

What really caught me was their live performance. Vocalist Aaron Bruno came off as a true showman. There was an intensity about Aaron that made it impossible to look away, but, at the same time, there was something oddly accessible about him. At times, he was dancing across the stage in the way that we all dance in our closets with the lights off and the door closed after a hard day at work (okay, maybe I’m the only one that does that, and I’m really showing my cards here but, I think you get what I’m saying). At the same time, it didn’t feel as geeky as it may have with other bands. It felt more like Aaron was expressing himself through the music that he created in hopes that it would help other people express themselves. I know I’m going a bit deep with this, but that’s because it felt like there was a sea of undertones floating under the music that was pumping through the PA. Sure, I wasn’t one of the screaming fans in the front row who seemed to be just one word away from crying, but I felt that energy, and it hit me like a ton of beautiful bricks that I was so ready to be buried under.

I don’t know what I expected when it came to this show. Honestly, part of me was starting to get wrapped up in the hysteria surrounding the impending storms, and I even thought about bailing on this show. I am so glad that I did not. I saw AWOLNATION in a new light and ended up having a night that clearly hit me harder than any mega-storm could have.

Line Up:

Makua

Bryce Fox

AWOLNATION

Venue: First Avenue

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 26

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Dance-ability- 8 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)-

Makua – 0

Bryce Fox – 0

AWOLNATION – 1

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 9.3 out of 10

Show on Deck —Circa Waves / Friday Pilots Club / bugsy // Matthew And The Atlas / Foreign Fields

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