Girl at the Rock Shows

Things felt just a bit off on Tuesday night at First Avenue. I will spare you all of the details because, truthfully, it’s not my place or anything like that, and I don’t want to be a huge bummer this morning, but First Avenue lost one of the good ones. To some, Conrad was just the crabby guy who stood by the stage and yelled at people for doing something wrong. To others of us, Conrad was the GOAT. No other way to put it. The news of Conrad’s passing was spreading like wildfire throughout the club as people filtered through the doors, and although many continued on with their night as if it were any other night, some of us were feeling the weight of the world and the hole that had been suddenly created in our hearts. Not a great way to start off a concert, but, like every other time tragedy strikes, the music of the night helped soothe the restless souls who had Conrad and his loved ones on their mind.

Humanist kicked things off, and after a very quick and subtle dedication of the set to Conrad, we were off. I was instantly captivated by the sound of this band. It was larger than life, and I love the way that their understated performance really let the music do the talking. Their sound was slightly post-punk and alt-rock, but had these industrial influences that reigned supreme. The larger-than-life quality of it made it feel straight out of a movie, which allowed your mind to wander beautifully. There was a darkness to their sound that reminded me a lot of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, but there was also an energy about it that felt a bit more punk. Add in the My Bloody Valentine-style ambiance, and you were left with a set that was as moody as it was beautiful.

Although I had never heard of Humanist before this set, something about their sound and music resonated with me in a profoundly powerful way. Maybe it was the backdrop of tragedy that plagued the night for me, but I really think it’s just the power of the music. Humanist is one of those bands that seems to just get you in a way. It’s honestly kind of hard to explain, but while watching them, I felt like the soundtrack of my life was playing out in front of me. Every song seemed to bring up a different memory, a different feeling, and felt all of that down to my core. Long story short, Tuesday night was my introduction to Humanist, and I was an instant fan. I hope that this English band finds its way back to Minneapolis soon.

The only other band to perform at First Avenue’s mainroom on Tuesday night was the almighty Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. I feel like I have seen this band before, but truthfully, I just can’t remember. All I know is that I was excited as the lights went down and the room filled with fog in preparation for their time on the legendary stage.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC) is a rock band from San Francisco, California. Notice that I referred to them as a “rock band.” I didn’t get super specific on sub-genre because, quite frankly, that’s not possible. Like Humanist, BRMC draws influences from across the board. There are some songs that feel more like DIY garage-punk songs, and others, like “Humanist,” feel dramatic and cinematic. Others have an undeniable swagger behind them, bridging into the “filthy” category with a sticky bass line and gritty vocals. Although the sound always seems to be constantly changing with this band, the power and talent that they bring to the stage remain constant.

Tuesday night’s performance was a celebration of their 2005 album, ‘Howl.’ I’ll be honest, I’m not super familiar with that album, as I have always been more of a casual fan of this band rather than a die-hard fan, but I know that they put the focus on this album throughout the set. Did they play all of the songs from the album? I have no clue. Was it in order? You’d have to ask someone else? Did they slip in some older songs and newer ones outside of ‘Howl’? I’m sure, but I couldn’t tell you what ones they were. Long story short, I don’t know what the band played, but I know that each song captivated me as much as the last one.

Tuesday night’s show wasn’t the most exciting one of the week for me, but it was beautiful, and something about being at the First Avenue mainroom on a day marred by tragedy just felt right. I look at ghosts as a beautiful thing. I think of them less as haunts and more as comforting spirits that are there when we need them, and gone when we don’t. I don’t want to get too deep or anything like that, but Conrad’s spirit was absolutely in that room last night, and that just added to the pure beauty I felt throughout the night.

Line Up:

Humanist

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Venue: First Avenue

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 52

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)-

Humanist – 0

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Maybe 1 or 2?

Celebrity Sightings – M.A.Y.

Overall Score –7.8 out of 10

Show on Deck —Water From your Eyes / Her New Knife

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