Girl at the Rock Shows

This world is a mess. There’s no other way to put it, and if you aren’t careful, you can get wrapped up in the depression and insanity happening around you, but the world is not all doom and gloom. There are spaces and people who take what’s happening in the world and turn it into beautiful art, and one of those places was The Turf Club in Saint Paul on Friday night.

Local supergroup Quatro was first up on the three-band bill. Featuring deep breath Tina Schlieske, Molly Maher, Mary Bue, Becky Kapell, Barb Brynstad, Jenny Case, and Noah Levy exhale, it feels like an understatement to even call this a supergroup– it’s more of a legendary group. With a mix of originals and covers, Quatro slammed through their opening set with a sense of fury while their music was surprisingly calm and chill. It was the perfect way to ease into the night and even came with some jokes. This group is made up of powerful women, and then you have sweet Noah Levy on drums. When explaining to the crowd how some of their originals came to life, Tina Schlieske often mentioned that they were about going through menopause and all the trials and tribulations that come with it. I loved how these women were able to take this almost taboo subject and turn it into something not only fun but also beautiful. At one point, when introducing the band, Tina paused before introducing Noah Levy, but Molly Maher was quick to lend a helping hand by saying that Noah Levy is “putting the ‘men’ in menopause.” Okay, I don’t know if Noah found that as the honor that I read it to be, but it was absolutely hilarious and definitely laid down the groundwork for what was to come– a night of female empowerment and social justice.

Up next was Cindy Lawson, a local favorite of mine and truly an all-around amazing human. Backed by her fabulous band, Cindy played her punk-hued songs with a sense of energy and angst that made you feel her passion, not just hear it. I’ve covered Cindy more times than I can count at this point and will actually be seeing her perform again today, but the charm is never lost on me, and I got to see a different side of her charm on Friday night. Tina Schlieske (of Quatro and the headlining act- Genital Panic) was in the legendary rock band Tina and the B-Sides. Cindy Lawson was the vocalist of The Clams- an all-female rock band from right here in the Twin Cities that made waves in the scene. Hearing Cindy talk about her history with Tina and the B-Sides and just how hard it was to be a female in music back in the day was eye-opening, to say the least. I know that we still have mountains to move and progress to make, but something about seeing Cindy Lawson up there rocking out with her band as everyone in the audience paid the utmost attention made my heart so happy, and it made me so proud to be a woman which, at times, is easier said than done.

As I mentioned, the world is a mess right now, and although I know it’s hard for many people out there, and I’m not trying to lessen anyone’s difficult journey, it’s particularly challenging for women. I’m not here to open up a giant can of worms or start a debate, but being a woman is an insane and often impossible task. Like Tina mentioned before, playing one of Genital Panic’s amazing songs (which I didn’t catch the name of, but that’s beyond the point), when raising her two kids, she had to spend time talking to her daughter about all of the things. Telling her what not to wear, covering her drink to make sure nobody slipped anything into it, and always being aware of her surroundings. Honestly, it was all the things I remember being taught when I was growing up. Tine went on to explain that when it was time for her son to grow up, the conversation was much easier and really came down to, “Do you know how to use a condom? Yes? Good!” I mean, just think about that. It really puts it into perspective, and although it’s something that has happened to all of us, I feel like we kind of just figure that’s part of life, but why is that? Genital Panic put that question and more into the spotlight, creating a very female-forward vibe (complete with dancing vaginas) that was so easy to get lost in and a lovely place to spend my Friday night.

Tina and her band, which featured some of the musicians from Quatro’s set, powered through their set but left space for emotions, which I really appreciated. Overall, this was a protest kind of set, but there were many moments where Tina had formed a space for this protest to turn into understanding, and almost like this very fun and too cool therapy session. Whether you were there to fight against the patriarchy and the misogyny that had been running rampant throughout the world lately or just at this show to have a good time, Tina and her band created a space for you, and it was a safe one for all.

I’m not super happy with this review. I feel like I said a lot, but I didn’t capture the overall vibe of the night, and truthfully, I don’t have time to rewrite this again before I head out for day one of an insane task covering 64 bands over the next two days. That being said, how do you put a whole movement into just over one thousand words of a blog post? Friday night with Quatro, Cindy Lawson, and Genital Panic was more than a concert- it was a movement, and it was one that I was beyond honored to have been part of. I hope to attend another show in the near future that gives me the same feeling of unapologetic power and energy.

Line Up:

Quatro

Cindy Lawson

Genital Panic

Venue: The Turf Club

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing

Average Age of the Crowd: 44

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

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

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)-

Quatro – 0

Cindy Lawson – 9

Genital Panic – 0

Celebrity Sightings – Ryan of Ultrabomb / Meghan of Kiss the Tiger (who guested with both Quatro and Genital Panic)

Overall Score – 8.7 out of 10

Show on Deck — Front Row Paul Fest (featuring 64 bands over the next two days. Please send coffee!)

Shameless Self Promotion:

Join My Patreon Here!

Buy Me a Coffee (Seriously!)

Check out my playlist HERE!