Girl at the Rock Shows

I’ll be honest, Friday felt like a dream. I felt like I was in a haze all day, and when it came time to head for The Turf Club on Friday night, I debated if I even had it in me. I was in a fog. I knew it, and people could see it, but I knew that, as exciting and unreal as seeing Bruce Springsteen at First Avenue was, this blog is made for local bands, and there was a local showcase happening at The Turf Club that I couldn’t miss. Not only that, my heart needed it. Sure, Bruce was great. Tom Morello was amazing, but they don’t live here. They aren’t dealing with what we are dealing with day in and day out. The people in the three bands that played at The Turf Club are, and the least I could do was show up and support them.

Kicking things off at The Turf Club was The Teddy Holidays. I was instantly in love with this band’s chill nature. It was just what I needed after the whirlwind day. Although I found a sense of calm in their sound, there was no denying they were playing with a fervor and heart that only comes when your community is under siege. The band, like the music, felt oddly soft spoken, but you could read between the lines. Their jangle-infused retro indie-pop sounds flooded the room and instantly turned everyone’s stress and tension into a feeling of love and warmth. The Teddy Holidays are far from a new band. They have been around for years, maybe even decades, but this was my first experience with them. I don’t know where they have been hiding or how I’ve gone so long without seeing them or even hearing their name, but I’m hip to them now and hope to see a lot more of them in the near future.

There were a lot of familiar faces in Sister Species, the next band to take the stage on Friday night. I instantly recognized Jake Baldwin and Lars Johnson of McNasty Brass Band. Then there was bassist Maddie Theis, who I’m pretty sure is just the Twin Cities’ designated bassist, as she plays with damn near everyone in town. This had me excited. I don’t know what it is, but I just get a thrill from noticing musicians from local bands playing in something new to me. It’s like peeping into their personality just a bit. Sure, you can figure out some of someone’s personality by seeing them in just one band, but seeing them in multiple projects helps paint a picture, and the picture that seeing these familiar faces playing in an unfamiliar band was nothing short of stunning.

Fronted by accordionist (yes, you read that right) and vocalist Emily Kastrul, Sister Species’ sound was, like The Teddy Holidays’, very chill. It was chamber pop with three trumpets going at times, and other times where silence seemed to be their weapon of choice. Their set was soft and sweet, but with a fire behind everything they did. Although they clearly had songs written and rehearsed, the way the band performed them made them feel almost improvised and so beautifully organic. I wouldn’t say there was ever a point where the music of Sister Species felt or came across as chaotic in the normal sense of that word, but there were moments that felt avant-garde, artsy, and like you were hearing and seeing what emotion looks and sounds like. I want to expand on that, but truthfully, I don’t know how. I know those aren’t the words I want to use, but they are the ones coming to mind right now. I guess what I’m trying to say is that Sister Species left me completely speechless, and they are absolutely a group I have my eyes on.

Closing out Friday night at The Turf Club was the one and only American Scarecrows. To say that this band is a staple of the local scene would be an understatement. They have been grinding for well over a decade, but seem to have slowed down as of late. I never caught this band when they were super active, and I hate that. I’ve always known of their legend, but Friday night was my first time experiencing it live, and within the first song I knew that not catching them until Friday night was such a sad thing.

Sonically, American Scarecrows is your standard indie-folk-rock. I know that doesn’t sound like high praise, but stick with me here. Their sound is similar to bands like Mumford & Sons and Judah & the Lion, but there’s something different about American Scarecrows. This band has a way of adding just the slightest edge, the smallest sprinkle of angst to their sound, and that’s what sets them apart. I wouldn’t go so far as to say there is a true punk influence in their sound, but they are just inches away from it. When you take that special little chutzpah and combine it with the amount of love and heart that they put into every note and beat, you are left with a set that is nothing short of stunning.

Things are still far from normal up here in Minneapolis. This review is being posted a day late because my Saturday was full of more protests and more rallies. That being said, just being able to go to shows again has been a game-changer for my mental health. Do I feel guilty about it? Yeah, a little bit. But if you ask anyone up here if they feel guilty for doing anything, you will get the same answer. We need to take care of our community and stand up for our neighbors, but don’t forget to take care of yourself in the mix. Even if it makes you feel guilty, you will be much better off taking on the outside world if you give yourself and your mental health a little bit of attention.

Line Up:

The Teddy Holidays

Sister Species

American Scarecrows

Venue: The Turf Club

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 42

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)-

The Teddy Holidays – 0

Sister Species – 0

American Scarecrows – 0

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