Girl at the Rock Shows

I was in the mood for a show, but the second I walked into Palmer’s on the West Bank in Minneapolis, everything changed. I was still ready for a show, but quickly became more interested in socializing than actually doing photos and taking notes. There was a special feeling in the air, and that feeling was a mixture of smiles and doom as Palmer’s recently announced they would be closing for good. It’s a sad thing to see a venue go down, especially one that has been up and running for over a hundred years, but it was so lovely to see people coming together and celebrating the great bar that it is. Again, I was ready for this show. I was excited to see the almighty Impaler again and all of the other amazing local acts, but something about the air had me more in the mood to just chill, drink, and be merry, so I apologize now for the brevity of this article and the lack of great photos. It truly was a fantastic show and insanely lovely night, and I don’t want you to think any differently based on what I’m about to lay out. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about the show.

Local instrumental band Cymothoa was up first on the patio stage. This band is one of my favorites in the local scene, but one that I don’t get to see as often as I used to, so this was a huge treat. I was instantly captivated by the insane talent of this trio. I wish I could tell you that there was one thing in particular that really had my eyes glued to the stage, but, truthfully, I can’t. These three guys are so tight, and although every rhythm and line of notes seemed to be more complicated than the last, they nailed them all and powered through their set much quicker than I wanted. I feel like just when I got there and they started, they were already wrapping up and leaving the stage. Although I was excited to see what else the night would bring, I was super bummed to have to say goodbye to Cymothoa even if just for the night.

VolsungaSaga was up next. I was instantly intrigued as this band was setting up with a couple of Viking-style shields on either side of the stage. I mean, I knew they were a Viking Folk metal (although I failed to hear the “folk” side of that) based on what I had read online, but I wasn’t expecting them to commit that hard to the Viking portion of it. They had me intrigued before they even played a note, but when they started playing, that intrigue shifted to a sense of slight shock. Like Cymothoa, this band was tight like tighter than tight. I mean, obviously you want every band that you see to be tight but, the truth is, there are hiccups here and there when performing live, especially when it comes to a band as heavy and intense as VolsungaSaga but they defied the odds and gave, what I felt was, a flawless performance. Their dark sound was highlighted by insane bass lines, slamming drums, and chugging guitars, all overlayed by intimidating yet approachable vocals. It was the perfect mix of all things intense and was presented so perfectly during their short time on stage.

I don’t care how many times I see Impaler live. I will never get sick of it, and I will never stop going. The godfathers of shock rock (and no, that’s not up for debate), Impaler, is truly a legendary band, and it has been an honor to get to see them time and time again, with Friday night being no exception. They were up to their usual tricks, like disembowling back-up vocalist Dr. Corpse (AKA Zach Lindsey), bringing a full-on wrestling match to the stage, and eating the neck off of a head on a spike, allowing blood to drip on the stage, fire breathing– you know, the usual. If you weren’t there for their antics, you were there for their music, which was, as usual, on point on Friday night. Impaler’s music isn’t as intense as their stage show, and that’s something that I really love about them. I mean, don’t get me wrong, their sound is heavy, but it’s more of a KISS-style 80’s hard rock kind of heavy. The way that this band takes the glam of that ’70s and ’80s scene and wraps it up with the sinister side of Alice Cooper has always thrilled me almost as much as the fact that, since their conception in 1983, Impaler has never changed what they are doing. They have stuck to their sound, stuck to their vibe. They don’t care if it’s cool or not (although it is very cool, let me tell you), they have been doing what they do for decades because they love it, and there’s nothing that will stop them.

Things moved inside after Impaler for Outlaw Saint. Although I’ve known the drummer of this band for years, Friday night was my first time catching them live, and I hate the fact that it has taken me this long to see them live. Although the music of Outlaw Saint leaned more towards hard rock than I typically enjoy, the passion and energy they brought to the intimate stage at Palmer’s were more than enough to win me over. From the nostalgic feeling guitar solos and dizzying bass lines to the hard-hitting drums and vocals, this band played off of people’s nostalgia for bands like Guns N’ Roses and AC/DC but brought a bit more of a raw flair to the table.

Closing out the night was Rad Enhancer. This is another local band that I have some ties with that date back to my college years, but that I don’t get to see that often, so it was a treat to see them take the stage (and floor) of Palmer’s on Friday night. Like usual, their distinct blend of trashy and grungy metal hit the spot. I was in awe of how fast and clean this band could play. Every member of this band seemed to be moving at warped speed, which, for many other bands, could lead to derailments and a car crash of sorts if one member got off beat or missed a note, but not Rad Enhancer. The musicianship of this band is truly top-notch, and it was a thrill to see that play out in front of me.

All five bands that performed on Friday night at Palmer’s were amazing, and I loved seeing them all, but my favorite part of Friday night was the sense of community I felt throughout the audience. I hate the fact that Palmer’s is closing, but I am so happy that I have a few more chances to experience the magic that this bar has brought to me, the local music scene, and so many other people who find the charm in this old watering hole.

Line Up:

Cymothoa

VolsungaSaga

Impaler

Outlaw Saint

Rad Enhancer

Venue: Palmer’s

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 46

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 7 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)-

Cymothoa – 5

VolsungaSaga – 0

Impaler – 14

Outlaw Saint – 0

Rad Enhancer – 1

Celebrity Sightings – Members of Big Salt, Whiskey Rock N Roll Club MPLS, M.A.Y, The Silent Treatment

Overall Score – 8.3 out of 10

Show on Deck — Orthodox / Mugshot / Omerta / FromJoy / FallingWithScissors

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