Girl at the Rock Shows

Friday night at The Hook & Ladder in South Minneapolis wasn’t just another show; it was a celebration. It was a celebration of a new album, a celebration of good music, a celebration of community, love, friendship, and an ode to a fallen comrade. It was one of those nights where, sure, the music was great, but the vibes were even better. It was one of those nights where everyone was a friend by the end of the night, and everyone left with a smile on their face, regardless of how late it got. Long story short, Friday night was the kind of show that I live for.

Kicking things off on the outside ‘Under the Canopy’ stage was SUPERMODIFIED. Out of all of the bands on the line-up, SUPERMODIFIED was the one I knew the least about, but within the first song, I knew I was in love. Their sound was a bit old-school and no frills, but there was no denying the heart that radiated from the stage. From the heavy synth sound that gave the group an almost DEVO kind of vibe to the classic crooner punk style of the vocals that instantly reminded me of Mike Ness from Social Distortion, I loved how this band clearly had a classic sound with a timeless energy. Although I was new to SUPERMODIFIED’s world, it was quite evident that I was watching geniuses in action. The members of this band have all come from various other projects, so that makes sense. From The 241s to the Pine Box Preachers, the legend of the members of this group is immense, and I love how it translated so perfectly into this group. Sure, Friday night was my first time in SUPERMODIFIED’s world, but it absolutely will not be my last.

Before I go any further with this review, I want to give a big shout-out to DJ Lady Tracy. Not only did DJ Lady Tracy know all of the right songs to play in-between sets to keep the energy high, she did it with a sense of charisma and flare that just could not be ignored. I love shows that don’t have any downtime and constantly put thought into what’s pumping through the speakers but DJ Lady Tracy absolutely raised the bar on that.

I was stoked that the next band on the stage on Friday night was the Virgin Whores. I caught this band for the first time last March. It was love at first set, but then life kept on getting in the way, and I wasn’t able to catch them again. Seeing them on Friday night was a reminder of just how great this band is. Like SUPERMODIFIED, Virgin Whores has a no-frills kind of sound, but theirs leans way into the street punk world. Their songs are short and furious and performed with a sense of angst and grit that will instantly have you wanting to push and shove those around you. At the same time, there’s something so flawless about this group’s live sound. Although there’s no shortage of grit, there’s also no shortage of clarity. I love how you can hear every element of this band clearly and really see the work that they have put into curating their songs and sound. Virgin Whores have been around for decades and, clearly, they are not slowing down. I truly hope it doesn’t take me another year to catch them again.

I really can not understate how legendary the line-up of this show was. I mean, come on, The Mighty Mofos were on the bill. Although maybe not a household name, The Mighty Mofos are nothing short of legends. With Billy Batson at the helm, this legendary local group had the entire “canopy area” of The Hook & Ladder moving and grooving. Their sound, although not as gritty and angsty as the first two acts, hit hard, but it wasn’t their rock n’ roll sound that had me in love; it was watching this band perform. I don’t think there was a single frown on stage or in the audience. Although they have been doing their thing since 1984 (well before I was even a thought in my parents’ minds), you could tell that the members of this band still love what they do, and the way that translated into their electrifying sound was beyond perfect. From the smiles to the tunes, it truly did not get any more perfect than seeing The Mighty Mofos on Friday night.

Closing out the outdoor stage on Friday night was the band of the hour – Fret Rattles. This show was the celebration of the release of Fret Rattles’ new LP ‘As The World Falls Apart.’ I haven’t spun the record yet (that’s on my list for today), but being able to hear the songs from this new album was absolutely perfect. Like every other band that hit the stage, there was no lack of energy or heart during their set. Every song sounded perfect and definitely recording-quality, but there was something more to it, and that came from the energy that all of the members of this band showcased. From smiles to climbing onto amps to jumps and high kicks, Fret Rattles didn’t hold back, and, although I’ve seen them a few times before, this felt like their best performance yet.

Although this night was supposed to be about Fret Rattles and all of the blood, sweat, and tears that they put into this album (which was two years in the making), they were quick to make the night about everything else. After playing through the new album, Fret Rattles invited Bill and Zach Lindsey of Impaler up to do a Stooges cover. That turned into Bill randomly leaving the stage to blow fire (this is something he often does at Impaler shows and is absolutely a sight to see) and then coming back to the stage with many friends in tow. When it was time for the final song of their set, the stage was packed with local legends, friends, and family. Before playing the final song, bassist Chad Johnson took to the microphone to read the final text he got from local musician Rob Tossava. Rob was and always will be a staple of the local scene, but sadly, he lost his fight to cancer just about a month ago. There was something so intimate and so heartbreaking about hearing his final text message to Chad, but also something so stunningly beautiful. It was a text that talked about how hard Rob was going to fight to be at this release show, but it didn’t play out that way… at least not in the standard form. What I mean by this is that, although Rob wasn’t at this show in his physical body, he was absolutely there in spirit. I didn’t know Rob. I had seen him perform with various groups and had seen him at many shows, but I didn’t know him. That being said, I know he was there. From the love felt throughout the audience from the talent shown on stage throughout the evening, Rob was absolutely there, and that was just the cherry on top of an already touching and beautiful night.

The night could have ended with this beautiful moment, but instead, things moved inside for a final set from Whiskey Rock ‘n’ Roll Club MPLS to close out the night. Like usual, this trio was up to their usual stunt of mixing good ol’ fashioned rock n’ roll sounds with a sense of humor and light-hearted fun. I don’t care how many times I catch these boys live, it will never get old. Sure, some of their dad jokes may be getting a bit stale for me, but the way these three guys play together and bring such a sense of fun to a stage while keeping their sound in the spotlight is truly perfection. Typically, I like a more low-key act to end a marathon of a show like this, but I really loved how Whiskey Rock ‘n’ Roll Club filled me with the perfect amount of energy that I needed to make it home after the long Friday that I had.

Friday night was billed as the ‘Rock N’ Roll Circus,’ and that’s exactly what it felt like. Every act brought something fresh and new to the stage, and everyone who graced the stage (whether inside or outside) brought a sense of excitement and fun. More importantly than that, they brought a sense of community. I feel like I’m still riding the high of being able to cover the Yungblud show last weekend. It was truly an insane show, but I didn’t walk away from that one feeling as good as I did on Friday night. There’s something about a local show that soothes the soul and brightens your heart. Have you tried it? You probably should, and if you’re in the Twin Cities, there are millions of shows to do it at.

Line Up:

SUPERMODIFIED

Virgin Whores

The Mighty Mofos

Fret Rattles

Whiskey Rock ‘n’ Roll Club MPLS

Venue: The Hook & Ladder

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 47

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

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

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

SUPERMODIFIED – 0

Virgin Whores – 1

Mighty Mofos – 0

Fret Rattles – 4

Whiskey Rock ‘n’ Roll Club MPLS – 4

Show on Deck – Beton Arme / Buio Omega / Sleeper Cell / Behind the Wire

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