Girl at the Rock Shows

It’s a busy weekend up here in Minneapolis. I feel like I have been saying that a lot lately, but this weekend is Minneapolis Pride, so there are parades, events, and shows to go with it. I wish I were younger and still enjoyed being in crowds like the ones that show up for Pride events, but honestly, I’m just too old. So, although I absolutely support Pride with all my heart, I plan on staying out of the downtown chaos for the weekend. Have no fear, though; some brave bands have decided to host events during this time frame, and my favorite local band was one of them.

I hadn’t entirely escaped the insanity of Pride by spending my Friday night at The Icehouse in Uptown Minneapolis. When I walked in, I was surprised to see a whole tattoo parlor of sorts set up where there were normally candlelit tables. I didn’t get the full story of the event, but I could tell that this was some sort of Pride flash tattoo thing, and people were excited. Something about that got me wondering if I should just suck it up and spend some time downtown this weekend. Another part of me wondered if it was time for another tattoo. Everyone was smiling and was just excited to be out and about. I loved it, but the mood changed as soon as I turned the corner. The “venue” space of this bar was empty. Outside of the musicians that would be playing later on in the evening, there were only about four or five people there for the show. My heart broke, but it didn’t change my excitement for the night.

Music was pushed back by about half an hour in the hope of attracting more people. A few more people came out, but was the push back really worth it? It didn’t manage to draw a huge sold-out crowd to the space before opening act Laura Larson took the stage, but it did give us a chance to hear more DJing from DJ Night Audit. DJ Night Audit clearly didn’t care how many (or how few) people were in the room. He was spinning fun tracks that added a danceable touch to the evening. From 80s undertones to electronic beats, I found the blend of music coming from his set-up to be absolutely perfect and was instantly thankful for the delayed start, if only because I got to enjoy more of what DJ Night Audit was offering.

Laura Larson took the stage right around 8:30 PM, and I instantly recognized her. It took me a minute to place her, especially since I found her sound to be so unique, but I eventually realized that Laura is also the frontwoman of the local band Scrunchies. Once I figured that out, I was able to settle into her set and get completely lost in her music. Sonically, the music of Laura Larson’s solo set was very The Faint meets a lo-fi version of Sleigh Bells. It was intense and even aggressive at times, but there was also an organic flow to it that made it feel natural despite the heavy electronic influence coming through the keyboard and computer set up next to her. I loved watching her not just sing every word to every song but also perform every word. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was interpretive dance, but it wasn’t far off, and it just added that extra chutzpah to her set that had me hopelessly hooked and addicted. I’m not sure how often Laura performs solo, but I know that it’s something I will definitely keep an eye on.

Following Laura and a few more tracks from DJ Night Audit was Deep Fakes. This is a band name I’ve seen a few times but never had the chance to experience live until Friday night. The music of Deep Fakes was a complete 180 from that of Laura Larson, but it hit just as hard. It was very The Cure 80s dark new wave sounding but with glints of something almost more Imagine Dragons. Before you crucify me for that comparison, let me explain. I loved how Deep Fakes definitely had a darker tone to the majority of their songs, but some felt a bit more commercial and almost uplifting. Truthfully, I couldn’t figure this band out, and even after their set on Friday night, I was left with many questions. However, I loved that because it left me with yet another local band that I absolutely have to see more of, sooner rather than later.

I loved both Laura Larson and Deep Fakes, but let’s be honest, I was at this show for Unstable Shapes. I have said it every time I’ve covered this local band, but, truly, they are my favorite band out there right now. Their music speaks to my soul, and their words make me feel things deep in my heart. Add their post-punk sound and their highly emotive live show, and, yeah, like I said, my favorite. I won’t continue to gush about this band because, truthfully, I have done so time and time again. However, if you’ve been ignoring me through all of these points, please take the time to check this band out. I promise they won’t leave you disappointed.
Friday night marked the release celebration of Unstable Shapes’ ‘Machined Delicately EP.’ This is an interesting release as it’s a re-imagination of some of their songs from their ‘Delicate Machinery’ album. They asked a bunch of locals to remix their songs and then released them as this EP. Toilet Rats, Laura Larson, Lazerbeak, Night Audit, and Deep Fakes all had a chance to take one of Unstable Shapes’ flawless songs and make it their own, and if I do say so myself, they all nailed it. I also loved the fact that all of these musicians (outside of Lazerbeak, who had a family vacation planned, so he couldn’t be there) made up the entire night of music. It added this sense of community and support to the night that my words will never do justice.

One of the highlights of the night as a whole for me was when Laura Larson performed her version of “Feral Joy.” To be quite honest, it’s one of my favorite tracks on the album, and I loved what Laura did with it. I also loved the way Unstable Shapes included the original version in their set list, allowing us to compare and contrast. I adored the fact that Tommy (of Toilet Rats) made an appearance. Although he didn’t perform the Toilet Rats’ version of “Glass Ladder,” he did join the band on stage for the track. I truthfully can’t tell you if Deep Fakes performed their version of “Jaguar Jaws” or if DJ Night Audit spun the Night Audit version of “Flesh + Blood + Stars,” but that’s more because I was just so lost in the night and honestly was more focused on enjoying the overall ambiance of the show rather than studying every song.

There weren’t many people at the show on Friday night, but all the acts that performed didn’t let that stop them from giving the audience that was there a heartfelt performance. From an entirely unknown for me act to a familiar but new act, to a DJ that refused to be just thrown into a corner, and to my favorite band right now, Friday night had it all, and, as always, it was an honor to be in the presence of such musical genius, talent, and heart.

Line Up:

Laura Larson

Deep Fakes

Unstable Shapes

Venue: Icehouse

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 39

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)-

Laura Larson – 0

Deep Fakes – 0

Unstable Shapes – 8

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8 out of 10

Show on Deck — Brent Penny / A Paper Cup Band Choir / Walk With Me / Cha Cha 9

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