There’s life before you see Peelander-Z live, and then life after. Let me tell you, life is a lot better on the “after” side of things. My first experience with this Austin-based other-world bred band was all the way back in May of 2018. I didn’t know what I was in for that night, but I fell head over heels for this comedic group of musicians. Since then, I’ve seen them perform multiple times, and it never gets old. From human bowling to the limbo, they do more than just play their songs; they get the audience involved. There are no egos, no attitudes, just smiles and laughing. I didn’t get to see Peelander-Z on Friday night at The Turf Club, but I felt like they were there, and that was the whole point of the night.
On May 18th, Peelander-Z was involved in a horrific car crash. I remember seeing photos from the crash and feeling like the worst had happened, but somehow, Peelander Yellow, Peelander Pink, and Peelander Tiger survived, but with major injuries. From fractured spines to traumatic brain injuries, all the way to broken ribs and legs, it’s truly a miracle that all three members made it through the crash, and I quickly started looking up ways that I could support this super quirky and super fun band from afar. I did the usual of donating money, but that didn’t feel like enough, and I clearly wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Like usual, the Twin Cities stood up. They understood the assignment and planned a benefit show at The Turf Club for the famed band, and that’s where I found myself on Friday night.
Kicking things off was ME ME ME. This duo was new to me, and I was instantly intrigued by them. Their sound was artsy, bridging into something almost avant-garde. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m on the fence about whether I actually liked what they were doing. Although I didn’t quite understand the music, I understood the creativity behind the music, and that was more than enough to have me sold. I was completely captivated as I watched the two musicians on stage create otherworldly sounds. Some of the sounds and beats made sense to me, some did not, and I loved the challenge that they brought to the table. As intrigued by their sound as I was, while getting lost in the music, I was also getting lost in the excitement that could be felt in the air. The crowd was quickly growing, and I found myself just trying to take the overall atmosphere in, meaning I really don’t have much more to say about ME ME ME’s music. That’s not on them. Again, it was captivating, but this was not “just another show.” This was a celebration, and I was in the mood to celebrate.
Following ME ME ME was a local favorite of mine, Panel. I know I just saw this band last month at Caterwaul, so I promise to keep this fairly short, but, per usual, they nailed it. With Annie Sparrows at the helm, Panel’s indie-rock-meets-power-pop sound was perfect for the celebratory nature of this show. I feel like some of the sets I’ve seen from Panel in the past were a bit more aggressive and commanding than what I heard and saw from them on Friday night, but, honestly, that was perfect. It commanded your attention while also allowing you time to socialize with some of the familiar but long-lost faces that were in the crowd, which was the main theme of the night. Don’t get me wrong, per usual, I was excited for the music of this show, but, like during ME ME ME’s set, I found myself not just getting lost in the music of Panel, but also in the audience.
The last time I saw the headlining act Birthday Suits was in 2019, and, imagine that, it was with Peelander-Z. I’m not sure when Birthday Suits took a break, but they haven’t played in years. It’s not that I ever forgot about this local duo, but more that I had come to terms with the fact that I would never see them again. I hate that it took this tragedy to bring them back to a stage, but I am just so excited that I was there to witness their majesty again. Although years have passed since this band performed, nothing about them has changed. Their high-energy garage-punk-rock sound flowed through the air with ease and definitely got the audience moving to the infectious beat. Maybe it’s always been that way, or maybe it’s just because of the setting of the night, but I got Peelander-Z vibes from some of their short and intense songs. You could feel the energy of a Peelander-Z show throughout the night, just from the love everyone in the audience clearly had for the band,, but it was amplified by Birthday Suits’ set in such a lovely way.
Honestly, I hate this review. I hate what I’ve written here because my words don’t do any of these three bands justice, but, as mentioned, this show wasn’t just another show; this was a celebration. It was a way for the Twin Cities to show up for a band that has unassuming ties to the local music community. It was a way for people to support a band that brings them so much joy on those hard days and a band that makes them sweat when they start looking out at the audience for people to take their places on stage towards the end of their sets (is it just me who gets super anxious during that portion of a Peelander-Z show?). I don’t have the final number of how much money was raised for the Peelander-Z crew from this show, but I do know that the room was packed and it was smiles all around– much like it would have been had this been a Peelander-Z show, and that was the main takeaway for me when it came to Friday night at The Turf Club.
Please consider donating to the GoFundMe that has been set up for Peelander-Z HERE! Seriously, this is a band that has a long road ahead of them and everything helps.
Line Up:
Venue: Turf Club
Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable
Average Age of the Crowd: 42
Crowd Surfers- 0
Stage Divers- 0
Mosh-ability- 2 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)-
Me Me Me – 0
Panel – 4
Birthday Suits – 3
Show on Deck – The Stress of Her Regard / Toilet Rats / Razordaisies
Shameless Self Promotion:
Buy Me a Coffee (Seriously!)
Discover more from Girl at the Rock Shows
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Leave a Reply