Girl at the Rock Shows

Things were a bit crazy between work and the show on Friday night. I don’t know how it happened, but my partner and I ended up running a bit short on time, so any dinner plans I had dreamed up were out the window, and we ended up at our new favorite burrito/taco (and more) spot just a few blocks from the house. The door of this restaurant is super sticky and, if the weather is hitting right, damn near impossible to open. That was the case on Friday night. As we were walking in, a couple was walking out, but they seemed stuck in the doorway. My partner and one of the two on the other side of the door used all their strength to open the door. It was a funny moment, but one that I didn’t think much of at the time. Why am I telling you this? Because about halfway through the show on Friday night at The Turf Club, across town, someone stopped my partner and me. “Were you guys at Los Cactus for dinner?” I was hesitant to answer. Was this a trap? I gave in. “Yup! One of the best places in town right now!” It turned out this was one of the two people having a problem with the door. Why am I telling you this? Honestly, I don’t know, but it was one heck of an anecdote to add to one hell of a show.

Although the show at The Turf Club on Friday night was sold out because of the headlining act, there’s no way I’m not going to talk about the three amazing local openers, starting with Tommy. Of the four bands on the line-up, this was the only one I knew absolutely nothing about, but I knew they had been hand-picked by the headliner (as that’s how this headliner typically works), so I was excited to see what makes this band so special. It didn’t take me long to figure it out. Although it was just their sixth show, there was a sense of professionalism and cleanliness to Tommy’s set. Their sound was your basic indie-punk-leaning garage rock, with the typical four/four time signature and all the usual instrumentation, but there was a spark behind this band that gave them that extra chutzpah and made it clear why they had been chosen to kick this show off. I wish I could tell you what that extra chutzpah was or what gave this band its sparkle, but truthfully, I just can not. Tommy is one of those bands that just has “it,” and although they seem to be at the beginning of their journey, it’s just a matter of time before they become a household name for all of you readers, because I will surely be seeing a lot more of this local group.

I first saw Panel, the next band to take the stage, last November. That was one of their first shows, and I’d be lying if I said they didn’t have me hook, line, and sinker. Their sound was vibrant but also calm. It had an almost surf-rock quality to it while very much staying in the garage rock vein of things. I’ve seen them a couple of times since that fateful night, and each time, I feel like this band gets a bit stronger and comes with a bit more of a following, and Friday night’s set was definitely in line with that. I’ll be honest, it felt like their set was ridiculously short. I’m not sure if that was just due to the social nature of the night and the excitement and electricity in the air, or if it was actually super short, but I do know that Panel could have played for at least another hour, and you wouldn’t have heard a single complaint in the sold-out room. With Annie Sparrows (formerly of Soviettes) at the helm, this band not only exuded a sense of power from the stage, but also a sense of emotion that was so easy to get lost in, and a perfect addition to the night.

I wish I had got to see Supportive Parents live a bit more. The last time I saw them was in 2019, and although they have played a lot since then, it just never seems to line up with my grueling and always booked calendar. I was so excited that they were on this bill because this was my chance. After all of these years, I was finally going to get to feel the energy that this band hooked me with and hear their classic punk sound (with pop-punk tendencies) live, and they did not let me down. Supportive Parents plays music that is loud and fast but also clearly has a knack for it. Although it may look like chaos when watching a Supportive Parents show, there’s no denying that there is perfection in the sound you are getting. It’s safe to say that these guys must practice a lot (IYKYK). That’s the best way to put it. It’s the kind of music that makes you want to push the person next to you (in the kindest way possible, of course) while also making a smile stretch from ear to ear. It’s bouncy, it’s infectious, and it’s perfect. No other way to put it. On top of Supportive Parents’ flawless sound, they bring comedy to the stage. It’s not blatant. It’s not like they take the stage with a schtick in mind or certain phrases scripted out, yet this band has fun, and they drag the audience into that fun, whether people want to be dragged in or not. Supportive Parents was the perfect act to really get people ready for what was to come next.

When I moved up to the Twin Cities from Des Moines, Iowa, I was excited for a few things. First and foremost, I was excited to get out of Iowa. That scene was too sleepy for me, and I craved more. I was excited to be in college and finally have a feeling of independence that I had been dabbling in throughout my teenage years. Most importantly, I was excited to be in the same town as Dillinger Four. I had known of their legend for years and knew that the chances of me seeing them perform in rink-dink Des Moines, Iowa, were a pipedream, so I was excited to flip the table on those chances. One of the first places I went to upon moving to the Twin Cities in 2007 was The Triple Rock (an iconic venue and restaurant founded and co-owned by Erik Funk of Dillinger Four). I was excited to be out of my parents’ house, but more excited to be in the land of Dillinger Four. Fast forward to now. I have now been living in Minnesota longer than I lived in Iowa. The Triple Rock is sadly dead and gone (although it lives on in the tattoo across my wrist), and I have officially lost count of how many times I’ve seen Dillinger Four live. Even with that being said, this show (and the one on Saturday night, as this is a two-night residency kind of thing) was one of my most anticipated shows as of late, and I was not about to let a single second of it pass me by.

Dillinger Four opened their seventeen-song set with “Let Them Eat Thomas Paine.” The band jumped between eras of their catalog throughout the set, with no real rhyme or reason to the pattern, but I loved that about it. I didn’t just get to hear the hits like “Gainesville” and “Doublewhiskeycokenoice,” I got to hear some new songs from their brand new album ‘This Shit is Geniuser’ like “An American Banned” and “Holy Shit.” Being able to hear all of Dillinger Four’s eras in just one night was a blast, but it was the energy and personality this band brought to the intimate stage that really made the night as special as it was.

I’ve seen this band before and have written about them time and time again. I’ve honestly said everything I could possibly say about this band before, so I promise not to rehash all of my thoughts here, but there’s something special about seeing this band in the Twin Cities. To other people across the world, this band is huge and legendary. To people here, yes, they are still a big deal, and we all know about their fame, but this band is just a couple of local guys who still support the local scene. It’s not rare to see bassist Paddy Costelklo out and about throughout town if it’s not slinging beers at Grumpy’s in Northeast Minneapolis. Sure, Dillinger Four is a huge band, but here in the Twin Cities, it feels more like it’s Erik, Paddy, Lane, and Billy rather than the members of Dillinger Four. The way that feeling translates into their live shows is something that I will never have the right words for, but also something that will keep me coming back time and time again.

I was in a mood on Friday night. It wasn’t a bad one, but also wasn’t a great one. I was feeling anxious, given the completely sold-out (dare I even say slightly oversold) room. I just couldn’t get comfortable in the space and quickly realized that this was one of those reviews where I was going to have to rely on my words more than my photos, because I just wasn’t in the mood to fight through the audience to get up front. That being said, I failed to take any notes, so focusing on the words has proven difficult. Friday night was one of those nights where I just wanted to be at a show, and although I was constantly thinking and worrying about what I was going to do for this article, I let myself get lost in the show, and that made for a truly amazing night.

I get to do this all over again tonight (Saturday). I think I’ll put my focus on the photos. Stake a spot up front by the stage early in the night and just stay there, but in the back of my head, I know that this is going to be another show where I just get lost in the magic of it all, and I honestly can not wait.

Line Up:

Tommy

Panel

Supportive Parents

Dillinger Four

Venue: Turf Club

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 42

Crowd Surfers – None

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 6 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)-

Tommy – 0

Panel – 2

Supportive Parents – 3

Dillinger Four – 14

Overall Score –9.6 out of 10

Show on Deck — Dillinger Four / Christy Costello / Citric Dummies / Yesterday’s Numbers

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