Another Little Day

I have officially hit the ground running this new year. Sure, I took the first night of the year off, but that was just to prep for the insanity to come, and that insanity absolutely started off with a bang on Friday night. I feel like I put a lot of pressure on the first show I go to every year. It sets the tone for the year, sets the bar for the year, really, it sets a lot of things, and I tend to worry about it a bit more than I should. I always want to pick a good and explosive show to get my year started, and I think I nailed it when it came to choosing my first night out in 2026 at First Avenue and the 7th Street Entry. That’s right, go big or go home, I decided to cover two shows on my first night, but, honestly, had I only been at the 7th Street Entry, it would have been more than enough to call it a perfect way to kick off my 2026.

I fell in love with Doll Chaser the first time I saw them at Cloudland in the summer of 2025. Their set that night was abrasive but oh so very accessible and perfect. I’ve tried to catch this band a few times since then, but my schedule just never worked out, so I was beyond excited to finally get the chance to see this band again on Friday night. As mentioned, the sound of Doll Chaser is a bit abrasive but in a good way. Their music is the kind that shapeshifts as their set moves on. From insane punk anthems to an almost folk-punk leaning new song, Doll Chaser may have been first on this stellar four-band bill, but they didn’t act like it. From the flawless presentation of their sound and attitude to the way the audience responded with hoots and hollers between every track, Doll Chaser had everyone in the quickly growing audience sold on their sound and energy. I know that Doll Chaser isn’t a new band, but I think that 2026 is going to be their year, and I’m so ready for the ride!

Mystery Meat, the next band to take the intimate stage at the 7th Street Entry on Friday night, is another local band I wish I got to see more often. Much like Doll Chaser, Mystery Meat had me hooked the first time I saw them in October of 2023. I’ve only had a chance to see them one other time since then, but I could easily see the evolution of that band between those two shows. I was expecting to see more of that evolution when it came to Friday night’s set, and they did not let me down. Don’t get me wrong, this band is still very situated in the punk scene that I said they were part of those two other times I saw them, but they seem to have shifted their focus from a frantic punk vibe to something a bit more intentional and groovy. I wish I could accurately describe their sound to you. The truth is, I just can’t. It was punk, but it was funky and dirty. It was fast, but it wasn’t frantic. It was loud, but it wasn’t overwhelming. Really, Mystery Meat caught me a bit off guard. It wasn’t what I was expecting from them. I was expecting them to go deeper into the chaotic punk sound that I had heard in some previous sets from them, but it was a pleasant surprise to hear and see that they have chosen their own path, and they are blazing it as they go, making them a band that I absolutely have my eyes on as we go through this new year.

I did a lot of end-of-the-year lists for various publications (don’t worry, they are coming out soon, I promise), and there were a few bands that were a constant when it came to both best live show of the year and best album. One of those bands was Mary Jam and, full disclosure, they were the reason I was so excited to be at this show on Friday night. Mary Jam has really honed in on their craft. Their short and punky anthems resonate not only with your ears, but also with your heart. They are a serious band with clear, serious talent, but, at the same time, they don’t take themselves too seriously, as made clear by their songs that are about everything from finding a roach on a pizza to a fridge that fits 60 beers (because if your fridge can’t do that, what’s the point?). Although I’ve basically lost count of how many times I’ve seen Mary Jam live, they never fail to leave me feeling more than satisfied and slightly exhausted with the insane amount of energy they bring to a stage, and Friday was no exception. My favorite part of Mary Jam’s set on Friday night was hearing a few new songs. Maybe they weren’t super new tracks, but they were ones that I don’t recall hearing or seeing this band play before, and it proved to me that there is truly no stopping this band. I think that with the right opportunities, Mary Jam is going to be the next band to truly put the Minneapolis punk scene on the map.

I still think back to the first time I saw Killed By Kiwis and said I felt they were having a bit of an identity crisis. I still don’t regret those words or take them back, but I feel like my word choice could have been a bit better, because that so-called “identity crisis” is what has made Killed By Kiwis a truly standout band on the local scene. From their fast-paced punk songs to their more ballad-like psychedelic tunes, Killed By Kiwis has still not picked a lane to stay in, and I love them for that. I feel like seeing a live set from this band is like reading an epic book or watching a dramatic movie. There are rises and falls that, at the time, may feel a bit dramatic and over-the-top, but, at the end of the night, it all makes sense because all of those songs come together to tell a story and that story is the story of Killed By Kiwis- a group of amazing musicians that was formed out of a now defunct wine bar. A group of kids who all liked music decided to create it together while also honoring each member’s individual tastes and preferences. Seeing something that magical on a stage will never get old to me, and that’s one of the many things that made Friday night’s 7th Street Entry show the best way to kick off the new year.