The Oddfathers Debut

About ten years ago, I worked in downtown St. Cloud, within walking distance of several restaurants and nightclubs. This also led my friends and I to see several great Minnesota bands at some of these clubs. One of the more memorable bands I remembered seeing was the Twin Cities based band Flipp. Fronted by Brynn Arens, this quartet was famous for playing loud rock, their flashy onstage personas, and for playing almost anywhere in the state. This past Tuesday, I attended the debut show by the Oddfathers, Brynn's new band, at the Pioneer Place on Fifth. While the flashy personas and glam rock were gone, the enthusiasm and energy were still the same!

The show kicked off at 7:30 p.m. with a quick set by the opening act, Minneapolis artists GlitterGun. They reminded me of some of the pop/rock acts in Flipp's heyday, especially with a female lead singer with bright hair extensions and lights in her mini-tutu. They are another new band, with their debut album coming out early next year. They're playful and fun, but definitely not a top 40 band, as you can tell from the following lyrics from their song "Sugar & Spice:"

I'm sugar and spice
I'm not so nice
I'd stab you in the back
with a frosting knife

After the customary set change break, a snippet of Godfather movie music filled the speakers before the red curtain parted, and the Oddfathers hit the stage. Decked out in mobster-style pinstripe suits, Arens, guitarist Casey Gooby, former Great White bass guitarist Krys Baratto and drummer Tom Cook started their set with songs from their debut EP. The set was more of a classic rock sound than Flipp's power pop/rock, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. They're a unique act, especially considering that they're only releasing their EP on vinyl - if I still had a record player, I would have bought a copy!

The set closed with the first single "Another Tear Goes Dry." Arens may not have the bleached white hair, flashy red suit or painted face that I remember from Flipp, but he still has the spiked (now gray) hair and facial contortions while playing the guitar that I have fond memories of. The only disappointment I had, besides not being able to buy their EP on CD, was the fact that only about 70 or so people attended the show.

If you're a fan of Flipp, Brynn or good Minnesota rock, give them a try when they play in your town, or look them up on Facebook. They're defninitely worth the effort!