Girl at the Rock Shows

I know it probably takes more than just two years to form a true tradition, but Gravy Fest has been a part of my Thanksgiving festivities for two years now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Gravy Fest is not just a Thanksgiving celebration; it’s a celebration of Yung Gravy —a young man from Rochester, Minnesota, with a spark and charisma that have put him on the map. For the past two years, he has hosted Gravy Fest at The Armory in downtown Minneapolis, and this year it fell on Thanksgiving Eve.

DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip got the party started with the only way a show should ever be started– with a PowerPoint presentation. His PowerPoint not only gave all of us Minnesotans a taste of home with pictures of everything from Top the Tater to lefse (if you know, you know). The PowerPoint went on to explain the show rundown, complete with set times and a do-and-don’t slide for people to follow to ensure a good time at the show. It was a hilarious way to start the show, and the perfect way, as it brought a sense of personality to the night that would only be amplified by the many performers who took the stage. As if this presentation wasn’t enough, DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip spun some tracks to get everyone warmed up for the rest of the night, but fit in jingles that Minnesotans hold near and dear to their hearts, like the jingle for Menard’s and J.G. Wentworth (again, if you know, you know).

Following the perfect intro from DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip was a quick set from Melly Mike. A breakout independent hip-hop artist from New Orleans, Louisiana, Melly hit it big with his single, “Young Black & Rich,” but he is so much more than just that single, as we heard on Wednesday night. I know it has very little to do with his music or even his performance, but Melly Mike is a former U.S. Army Soldier. There’s something about this fact that added a special spark to his set. Not only with the way he was received by the audience, but also just with the way he carried himself. He was severe and seemed to be all business, but also had this accessibility about him that could not be ignored.

Outside of Yung Gravy, I knew nothing about any of the performers on Wednesday night, but I instantly fell in love with Pertinence. Instead of just stalking the stage and rapping (not that there’s anything wrong with that), Pertinence, from Arizona, brought the stage to life with his sheer charisma and personality that shone under the spotlights. I don’t know what it was about this performer, but he had me sold on every word he was saying and every move he was making. The way he delivered his rap was so genuine but also fun. Don’t get me wrong, like the rest of the performers, Pertinence was all business, but there was just something infectiously fun and lovely about this performer in particular.

Miles Spiel (AKA 1900Rugrat) was up next. There was something almost tortured about 1900Rugrat’s music that intrigued me. I’m not saying that the performance was tortured, but more the tone and the words of his music. You could tell that this kid has been through some stuff and has really channeled that into his music, which added a depth to his set that was so easy to get lost in. 1900Rugrat’s music stood out to me for another reason, and that was his voice. It was that perfect balance of raspy and smooth. There was a grit to it that really drove his words home in such an impactful way. I may not have known 1900Rugrat when arriving at this show, but by the time he was leaving the stage, I felt like I got a little insight into his life.

The final opening act was Pouya. Although I knew nothing about this performer, it quickly became clear that this was what some people had come to this show to see. It turns out that Pouya is considered a pioneer of the underground rap scene (specifically the SoundCloud scene). He got his start back in 2011 and has done so much since then, including helping Suicideboys get their start and creating a fan base that is nothing short of impressive for an independent artist. I’ll be honest, Pouya’s music didn’t do for me what Pertinence and 1900Rugrat’s did, but there’s no denying the power of this performer. He had the entire audience rapping along to his songs while pleading for some audience interaction, which he happily gave in to.

Pouya’s set went a bit longer than planned, and you could tell people were getting antsy for the main performer of the night- Yung Gravy. As mentioned, Yung Gravy is a young man from right here in Minnesota. Born Matthew Hauri, Yung Gravy has made a name for himself as a performer and just an all-around cool guy. I know I’m a bit older than his standard demographic, but I think that what this guy does is pretty great. I’m not talking about his music. Half of his music annoys me if I’m being honest, but there’s something about this guy that I find to be super genuine, from his work with the Special Olympics to just his personality that seems as quirky and fun as some of his music is.

Although the star of the show on Wednesday night, there was something about Yung Gravy’s set that felt so incredibly laid back. That’s just him, though. He writes bangers and performs them without a lot of razzle-dazzle, but there’s something about it that will catch you. That’s precisely what happened on Wednesday night. He toyed with the audience and performed everything I wanted to hear and more with that signature spark of his, but now that I sit to write this review, there really wasn’t anything that stood out to me other than that spark and charisma. That’s not a bad thing, because honestly, it made for the perfect final night of relaxation and fun before the holiday stress hit.

I know it takes more than two years to form a true tradition, but it just doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving for me until I get to experience Gravy Fest. Happy Thanksgiving, ya’ll. I hope you all have a beautiful holiday.

Line Up:

DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip

Melly Mike

Pertinence

1900Rugrat

Pouya

Yung Gravy

Venue: The Armory

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 23

Crowd Surfers – None Spotted

Stage Divers- 0

Dance-ability- 3 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- 3

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip – 1

Melly Mike – 0

Pertinence – 0

1900Rugrat – 0

Pouya – 0

Yung Gravy – 1

Overall Score –8 out of 10

Show on Deck — P.O.S. / Dwynell Roland / Reiki / Hard R

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