Burnt Toast and Coffee

I don’t trust people who only listen to one type of music. Why would you want to put yourself in a box like that? So far this week, I’ve seen everything from indie pop to bratty 2000’s crunkcore to guitar-heavy fuzz. Sure, some of my bipolar listening is due to wanting every night to feel starkly different than the last when it comes to the shows I go to, but I also think life is more fun when you open yourself up to new and different things. To say that Wednesday night at The Fine Line was a bit different from my normal would be an understatement, but, as the t-shirts being sold by the headliner said, “Hot people listen to funk music!”

Kicking things off was Scorched Waves. I’ve had a few run-ins with this band. First, it was seeing them open for the almighty Wheatus at the 7th Street Entry last spring. Then it was hearing them on the ‘Live at Bitter Jester Music Festival Vol. 03’ album. This band keeps on popping into my life, and I couldn’t be more thankful for it. Although clearly young, Scorched Waves has a sound that glitters as much as any veteran band and a show to match. There’s something very dramatic, almost musical-theatre-inspired, about their sound, but also something perfectly angsty and raw. Is it like a bit more of a hard rock-leaning Panic at the Disco with a flair for something a bit more poppy? Okay, maybe I lost you on that description. Truthfully, I lost myself, but that’s kind of the magic of this band. Like my personal taste in music and the wide array of live shows that I go to, Scorched Waves refuses to put itself into just one box. Their box is full of tricks and surprises, and seeing them come to fruition during a live set is truly perfection.

As mentioned, Scorched Waves is a young band, but don’t let that fool you. They have been working hard since day one, and from their recordings to their performances, they have truly perfected every aspect of being a band. I know this sounds cheesy, but I think that this is going to be one of those bands that I am able to look back on fondly, like I just did over the weekend with Yungblud. I don’t think it’ll be too long before one of my claims to fame is that I got to see Scorched Waves before they blew up. They just have the perfect sound, the perfect look, the perfect energy, the perfect everything, and it makes my heart so happy to see them on a show like this, where they are able to share their love and talent with a whole new group of eager and hungry fans.

I don’t remember how I stumbled upon High Fade’s music, but I remember it was love at first listen. Their sound was familiar but also completely foreign. This trio plays rock music, but it isn’t just your average rock. It’s a funk rock with a sense of power and conviction behind it that instantly had me sold. When I first fell into their orbit, I remember how bummed I was to learn that they are from Scotland. I figured this meant that the chances of me being able to catch them live were slim to none, but I was so wrong and was more than thrilled that I was able to cross them off my list on Wednesday night with their show at The Fine Line in downtown Minneapolis.

High Fade wasted zero time making themselves cozy on the stage. There was something about them taking the stage and leaping into their set that just felt natural and cool. Sometimes you see a band, and they have some giant and dramatic entrance, but not this trio. It was almost like, in the blink of an eye, the three guys just showed up on stage and instantly transported you into a whole other world without saying a single word. This is one of those bands where the music does the talking. Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of laughs and stories shared between the band and audience throughout the performance, but really, the music of this band is so emotive and so full of life that it tells its own story, and it’s a story with a very vague beginning and no real ending, meaning you never feel like you’ve gotten enough from High Fade.

The music of High Fade, as mentioned, is a high-energy blend of funk and rock, but seeing them perform their unique sound live adds a little something-something to it that you just can’t get from recordings. You can hear that the three members of this band love what they’re doing in their recordings. It comes through with the emotion they put behind every note, but when you see it live, it becomes something much deeper and much more immense. Like floating in an ocean of funky basslines, alt-rock driven and intricate guitarwork, and then slamming drums, the possibilities with this band are endless, and I loved the way I felt like they were exploring every inch of their ocean of sound all within one set. Am I bringing drama and confusion here? It’s quite possible, but that would make sense, as there was something about this band that felt a bit dramatic and slightly confusing throughout Wednesday night. That’s not at all a bad thing. Their sound and the way they put together notes and phrases are atypical, creating a sound you really can’t just sit back and listen to; you have to engage with, study, and dissect in hopes of understanding this group’s genius.

I would never consider myself a funk fan. I’ll listen to it. I know some basics and some of the main players, but funk wouldn’t be my first choice. High Fade is quickly changing my opinion on that. They have translated a funk sound into something I understand a bit better, thanks to all the other influences they let in. Between that and their personalities that shine so bright on a stage, High Fade is making me a huge funk fan one song at a time.