Mostly I write about shows featuring Minnesota bands. Last weekend I went to see three non-Minnesota bands at the Turf Club. I learned three lessons at the show that were timely enough for me that I feel compelled to share them.
1. From The Casket Girls: A genuine hug is a genuine hug.
The Casket Girls have a gothic glamorous appeal. The sound is electronic retro quirkiness. Their stage presence is disarming – with stylized dark looks and choreographed moves. The best part was when lead singers (and sisters) Phaedra and Elsa Greene got off stage and hugged everyone in the audience. And not an I-didn’t-like-you-in-high-school-but-ran-into-you-in-college quick hug. A hug for a little bit longer than you might think is comfortable. It was actually nice – a genuine hug is a genuine hug!
2. From Dott: Support your own.
Dott hails from Galway, Ireland. (I lived in Ireland for years, it was actually this hook that got me out that night.) They were like an Irish Best Coast – poppy with driving beats. The lead singer wore a Thin Lizzy shirt. OK Thin Lizzy doesn’t need the support of an emerging band – but it made me realize how smart and hometown proud it is for bands to wear t-shirts of other local bands, especially when they are on the road. Support your own!
3. From Stardeath and White Dwarfs: Bright lights are never a mistake.
Stardeath and White Dwarfs headlined the show. They had a 90s acid, psychedelic vibe – part Shriekback and Happy Mondays. But what they also had was a light show on the small stage of the Turf Club. Seems odd, seems out of place, made the Turf Club look like a European disco. But it was kind of cool. It’s a reminder that bright lights are never a mistake. There are just lots of different ways to bring bright lights to your life.
Mostly Minnesota 