Girl at the Rock Shows

July 29th, 2021, really wasn’t that long ago. It’s been over four years, but in the music industry, that’s relatively short. That being said, everything has changed for Durry since that night. That night was the first time I saw these local rockers live, and it was actually their debut show after vocalist Austin Durry folded his brilliant previous project, Coyote Kid. The show was at the 7th Street Entry, and they were sandwiched between local acts GOWNS and Colin Bracewell. I knew I was seeing something special, but I think I underestimated just how special Durry would become for not only myself or this local scene, but the whole freaking planet.

Before we talk about the magic that is Durry, let’s chat about the power and thrill that is opening act VIAL. Vial took the First Avenue stage to a sold-out audience and instantly captured everyone in the palm of their hands. Formed in 2019, VIAL has been grinding since day one, and that grind has gotten them places to say the least. Although I recently saw them at the quaint Hook & Ladder in South Minneapolis a few months ago, before that, the last time I had seen them was all the way out in Las Vegas for Punk Rock Bowling 2024. As I said, this band has gone places and will continue to do so, assuming they keep up the momentum from Friday night.

VIAL makes angsty punk music accessible. They add a slightly cute edge to riot grrrl feeling anthems. Although there’s snark and attitude, there’s also this almost pop sensibility that radiates from this trio (and sometimes four-piece). I wish I could expand on that, but it’s hard to explain, and I don’t want you to get the wrong impression. This band is all grit, all piss and vinegar, and all fire, but there’s just something about them that feels down-to-earth and just straight-up adorable (in the most dangerous form of that word). Whether you decide to latch on to their angstier side or fall in love with their charm, there’s something for everyone when it comes to a VIAL set and had you walked into Friday night’s show completely blind to this band, you definitely left as a fan even though their set felt ridiculously short.

Okay, now let’s talk about Durry. Durry is first and foremost your standard indie rock band with cute members and relatable lyrics, but this band is so much more than standard. Sure, their music is mostly indie rock, but there’s definitely a pop-punk angst hidden in there and even moments of pure sonic bliss that feel a bit more folksy than anything else. When it comes to their performance, they are all heart. The last time I saw them was in December 2023. Although it was a fun night, vocalist Austin Durry was sick and, although he tried his best to power through the set, it was heartbreaking to watch because you could feel and see that he was struggling. Friday night’s show was a redemption from that one and then some. Not only were they celebrating not being sick this time around, but they were also celebrating a brilliant album, ‘This Movie Sucks,’ which had just come out in late June.

Durry’s set on Friday night definitely seemed to revolve around this new album. They had to have played nearly all of the songs from the twelve-song album, not all of them, which was great to hear. The band even played a brand new song, “Dead Media,” as the first song of their two-song encore. This was all fine and dandy, but the moments that the band threw it back and played a few tracks from their 2023 album, ‘Suburban Legend’, were the moments that I cherished the most. There was just something about that album that hit me hard when it came out, and hearing songs like “Who’s Laughing Now” and “Worse for Wear” was absolutely a highlight for me. Regardless of whether it was one of their “old” songs or a new one, everything that this band did was done with conviction. The way they connected with the audience through their words and the way that you could really feel the fact that this band is doing what they love was something that my words will never do justice to.

Another thing that I will always love about this band is their creativity. Not only were they doing a giveaway for a VHS tape of all of their music videos (no, I’m not kidding– is this the rise of VHS tapes?! I sure hope so), but they also threw a curveball into this show. When I walked into the iconic venue and got my photo pass for the night, I was also given a pair of 3-D glasses. They weren’t anything fancy, just the white paper glasses with one red film lens and one blue. I gave the staff member working the will-call desk a perplexed look, but it was met with only a shrug. They had no clue what this was for or why they were given to everyone, but I knew I was excited to see what this band had in mind for them. A few songs in, Taryn Durry (sister of Austin and the other half of the duo that is the base of Durry) said that it was glasses time. Unfortunately, from where I was situated, I couldn’t get the full effect that should have happened with the glasses, so I can’t quite tell you how effective whatever it was ended up being, but I can tell you that it was a slightly funny sight to see everyone in the sold-out room with these glasses on.

Durry continues to rise in the music industry, and I don’t see them stopping anytime soon. This new album will surely elevate them to yet another level, if only based on the audience’s reception on Friday night. I could be nervous about the fact that this next level will surely be much bigger than our local scene, but when it comes to a band like this, that clearly has so much heart and passion, I just know that even when they move up another level, they won’t forget about us in the local scene. That’s the long and short of Durry and a reason why, although I’ve seen them multiple times and definitely felt a bit older than the demographic they seem to aim for, I will never stop supporting and loving this band.

Line Up:

VIAL

Durry

Venue: First Avenue

Smell-O-Meter: Sweat

Average Age of the Crowd: 24

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 2 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $1.72

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)-

VIAL – 4

Durry – 3

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8.7 out of 10

Show on Deck —Dominique Fils-Aimé

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