Girl at the Rock Shows

What do you do when there are just too many shows happening on one night and you can’t decide which one to go to? Truthfully, in the past, I would have just stayed home out of frustration and fear of picking the wrong show, but after over a week off from shows, that wasn’t an option for me. I had to go to a show, if only to help myself get back into the grind, so I did what any adult would– put the names of all of the venues with a concert happening in a hat, closed my eyes, and drew a name. Amsterdam Bar & Hall was the winner, and although there were probably more exciting shows in the hat to choose from, I was excited to spend my Wednesday night at this venue that was such a staple in my life at one point, but that I feel I’ve been neglecting as of late.

It wasn’t until I got there and saw the opening band, Next Chapter, setting up on stage that I realized who I was about to see. It’s not that I disliked Next Chapter, but when I saw them a couple of months ago when they opened for Caster Volor, I was less than impressed and got some flak for my review. I had called them a cover band because, based on their website, that’s what they were, but a fan was quick to call me out on the fact that they were not a cover band and only played one cover song that night. Truthfully, I overstepped by saying they were a cover band. I just assumed that I didn’t recognize the songs because they play a style of music that I just don’t spend much time with, and that’s on me, but that didn’t change the fact that their set felt a bit lackluster and just not for me. I’ll also be the first to admit that that show last December was a weird one for me. It just wasn’t my show, and I was in a bad mood that night, so, reading back on that review, it’s clear to me that I was hyper-critical of Next Chapter just based on that. With all that being said, I was excited to see this local band for a second time and, this time, with a clear head and a better attitude.

The music of Next Chapter still isn’t for me. It’s heavily rooted in the hard rock vein of things with a lean into 80s hard rock and metal. That being said, I saw the talent of this band shine under the spotlights on Wednesday night. The musicianship of this band is not something to scoff at, and even if their music isn’t your thing, just seeing these men pour their hearts out on stage and showcase all of the hard work that they have clearly put into their craft had me seeing Next Chapter in a whole new light. I don’t regret what I said about them the first time I saw them. Although not a cover band, they definitely threw a couple of covers into their set on Wednesday night that, although well done, were just that–covers–with very little imagination and not much of a stray from the original tracks, which is something that I’ve just never quite understood. That being said, I appreciate this band in a new way after their performance on Wednesday night and would not be bummed if I got the chance to see them again.

Following Next Chapter was Bad Weather– a band I knew nothing about other than the fact that I knew the bassist through the other blog I run. I was excited to see what they were all about and to see another side of this bassist’s life, as, up until this point, I only really knew that he was a brilliant photographer, not much else. Bad Weather’s sound definitely had hard rock qualities to it, but it brought a groove to the night and a bit more of a punk influence, which made total sense in the overall line-up of the night. It was the groove behind this band that really hooked me and left me intrigued. It was definitely a jam band type of feeling, but Bad Weather is far from a jam band. It’s a bit more proggy, has a bit more of a sharp tongue against it, but has the vibe of organic musicianship that you can only get from watching a band that clearly knows what they are doing. Bad Weather’s set felt short compared to Next Chapter’s, but they did a great job of laying out all that they had to offer, which left the modest audience clearly satisfied but also wanting so much more.

I had been waiting over a year for a second chance to see local punk rockers Los Outsiders, so I was beyond excited as the stage was turned over for them. Although their sound felt a bit more intense than that of Next Chapter and Bad Weather, it showed an evolution in the overall line-up of the night and, in the grand scheme of things, worked beautifully. Their quick and punchy songs were highlighted by the energy that they brought to the stage. Truthfully, there weren’t a lot of people at this show and even fewer people by the time Los Outsiders took the stage at 10 PM, but that didn’t stop this band from giving everything they had. From the Ozzy tribute that they kicked off their set with to the catchy hooks that were scattered throughout their set and the nods to great punk bands of decades gone by, like Ramones and Buzzcocks, Los Outsiders had done it again, leaving me speechless and already craving another performance.

There were seriously so many shows to choose from on Wednesday night. The concert at Amsterdam Bar & Hall in Saint Paul definitely wasn’t the biggest one happening, but there was something special about the night that told me I had picked the right way to spend my evening.

Line Up:

Next Chapter

Bad Weather

Los Outsiders

Venue: Amsterdam Bar & Hall

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 25

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 0 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)-

Next Chapter – 1

Bad Weather – 0

Los Outsiders – 1

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8 out of 10

Show on Deck — The Acacia Strain / Bodysnatcher / Ingrown / Tribal Gaze / NO CURE

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