Girl at the Rock Shows

I know that going a week without a concert is no big deal to the average person, but for me, it was like torture. Sure, there were a few shows here and there that I would have loved to go check out, but I opted to spend some quality time with family, and I am so glad I did. I am also glad that, although we are in that weird time of year between the holidays and New Year’s, some amazing live shows are happening in the Twin Cities like Soul Asylum at First Avenue on Saturday night so, after filling my heart with some high quality family time, it was time to fill my soul with what keeps me alive- live music.

Kicking things off at the completely sold-out show was the one and only Tommy Stinson and his band. Best known as the bassist for The Replacements, but a guy who never stopped performing even after the demise of that legendary band, Saturday night was my first experience with the legend, and I honestly can’t believe it took so long for it to happen. Sure, I didn’t know all of the songs that Tommy performed. Heck, I couldn’t even tell you if it was solo stuff or Replacements tracks that he performed, but that wasn’t the point of his set. I was watching a legend on that iconic stage,e and I didn’t need to know the specific songs to feel that. Every song was perfectly executed by Tommy and his band. It felt as if no note was out of place, and each note was performed with an undeniable feeling of heart and passion. At the same time, it was clear that this band was having fun on stage. Whether it was a small smirk shot across the stage or a small head nod toward another player, I really enjoyed watching all these musicians create art together.

Tommy Stinson played for about an hour, and although I could have watched him and his band for another hour at least, it was time for the main attraction- Soul Asylum. Here’s the deal with going to see Soul Asylum in Minneapolis– everyone seems to have a story. Soul Asylum is a Minnesota band through and through. Even when they hit it big with their 1993 mega-hit “Runaway Train” (which went on to win the Grammy for best rock song), the band never forgot their roots and never turned their back on Minneapolis. Everyone has a story, and I got a thrill out of hearing them as Tommy Stinson and his band made way for Soul Asylum. Whether it was high school hi jinx or a story of seeing the iconic band at a surprisingly small venue, running into one of the members at Costco (which I am now a member of which is a pretty big deal to me but we can talk about that later), or just what their music meant to someone, the stories of Soul Asylum painted a picture that I feel really added something to their show for me.

Saturday night was not my first night spent with Soul Asylum. I had seen them a few times before, but because of the stories swirling around me on Saturday night, this felt a bit different. The words of this band seemed to hit a little harder, and the notes being played by the four musicians on stage seemed to bring a flutter to my heart in a way. Long story short, I was in love with everything Soul Asylum was giving me on Saturday night, and although I couldn’t sing along with the nostalgic songs outside of a few hits I remember from growing up, I felt instantly attached and enamored by all of the twenty-one songs that the band performed.

I often hear people talk about how live music is dead or that common phrase, “Nobody goes downtown anymore.” I can tell you with absolute certainty that both of these things are false. Although fighting with the holiday season, First Avenue was the busiest I’ve seen it in a hot minute on Saturday night. This, on top of the joy of hearing everyone’s Soul Asylum stories, made for the kind of night that my heart lives for. It was the kind of night where nothing else mattered. Whether you had a good holiday with your family or spent it drowning in sorrow (which I hope is not the case), you had a smile on your face at First Avenue on Saturday night. The power of live music is a wonderful thing; after a week without it, it was nice to get back into the swing of things with this magical of a night.

Line Up:

Tommy Stinson

Soul Asylum

Venue: First Avenue

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 59

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- 1

Passed Out People- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 3

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

Tommy Stinson – 0

Soul Asylum – 3

Show on Deck — Threads Electric / Filchers / Lent / The Record Prophets

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