Girl at the Rock Shows

It’s not that Mary Jam at Cloudland wasn’t my first choice of how to spend my Friday night. Honestly, it was where I knew I needed to be, but I had been holding out hope all day that I would hear back from Insane Clown Posse’s people about covering that show at The Fillmore in Minneapolis. When I never heard back, I got a bit salty and highly debated just staying in on Friday night but, again, I knew that this was a sign that I was meant to celebrate all things Mary Jam at their EP release show and, truthfully, I hate myself for ever thinking that this was a show I could miss.

Doll Chaser took the stage promptly at 8 PM and instantly had me falling in love. Doll Chaser’s sound was part abrasive, part nostalgic. I loved that there were nods to some of the more intense leaning emo and pop-punk bands that have been a staple of my life since I can remember, but how there was so much more that this band offered up in their set. Although I loved their sound, it was honestly the passion of the vocalist, Madison, that really had me sold. Her energy, mixed with the power coming from the rest of this four-piece band, got people going, especially when Madison leaped from the stage and straight into the audience to start a little pit just in front of the stage. Although people were clearly still trying to warm up to the idea of this show (which I can’t explain because, truthfully, the sound that Doll Chaser was giving us was so much more than that of just an “opening act”), Doll Chaser did their best and, if you were paying attention, you were absolutely blown away by their power.

Up next was a local favorite, Oister Boy, and they proved, as usual, why they are a favorite with their set on Friday night. This band’s style is all over the place, and that’s what makes them so perfect. I’ve written about it before when I covered them, but I would be remiss not to mention it again. From pop-punk to rap-metal to a more standard indie-pop sound, this band somehow gives you everything in the span of a short set, and they do it all not only perfectly but also with a sense of fire and passion, with Friday night’s set being no exception. I loved the fact that I heard some familiar songs that I had heard them play before, but I also feel like I heard a few new ones, which added that extra spice and a reminder that I really need to spend some more time listening to local bands when I’m working, not just when I’m at shows. I’m not sure if everyone was saving their energy for the final act of the night or if they were so blown away by the sheer talent of Oister Boy, but I felt that the audience came across as a little sleepy compared to what Oister Boy was giving them. I felt that everyone needed something to snap them into it and get them moving, and what happened next would do just the trick.

How do you enter a show as a band? Do you just walk up on stage, pick up your instruments, and start playing? Or do you dance your way on stage and banter with the crowd a bit before grabbing your respective instruments and jumping into a song? The vocalist of Mary Jam decided that both of those methods (and many more) were too unconventional, so they took it upon themselves to spice it up a bit by riding a moped into the show. No, I’m not kidding. If you’ve been to Cloudland in South Minneapolis before, you know how tiny it is, yet vocalist Alli KB got on their moped and rode it the few yards from the back patio and straight to the stage, all the while handing out high fives and smiles. Yeah, that was a heck of a way to start a show. As soon as Alli hit the stage, the moped disappeared (okay, it didn’t disappear rather was walked around from the front door back to the patio) and Mary Jam was off with their set to celebrate the release of their brand new EP, ‘This Is A Joke.’

I’ve covered Mary Jam a lot lately, and that’s because I just can not get enough of them. Their sound is somewhere between FIDLAR and a more classic surf-punk band from the 80s. Their music definitely has a vintage to it, but it also has an emotionally angry undertone behind it that speaks to the times we are living in. Add the smiles of the three members of this band that are just straight-up infectious, and you are left with a set that you can’t look away from but also can’t forget due to the sheer catchiness of their music. I heard some old favorites on Friday night but also got to hear some unfamiliar new ones from Mary Jam. I honestly didn’t care what this band was playing; I was just beyond excited that this is how I ended up spending my Friday night because they were giving my soul that spark surrounding live music again that I feel has been fading more and more every day.

I can’t believe that I even thought that missing this show was going to be an option, and I am so thankful that I came to my senses in time and made it out to this celebration of local humans, music, and the local punk spirit.

Line Up:

Doll Chaser

Oister Boy

Mary Jam

Venue: Cloudland

Smell-O-Meter: Pizza

Average Age of the Crowd: 22

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 6.3 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)-

Doll Chaser – 0

Oister Boy – 3

Mary Jam – 5

Celebrity Sightings – Members of Couch Potato Massacre / Big Salt

Overall Score – 8.7 out of 10

Show on Deck — Jack’s Mannequin / Yoke Lore

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