Last night I had a great time with friends at the Totally Fukn Awesome Festival at the Skyway Theater in downtown Minneapolis. A former movie theater, it was the first time I'd been to the venue. I was looking forward to hearing headliners Ill Nino for the first time, and I really got to enjoy some of the other accompanying acts too. It turned out to be another memorable evening chock full of great live music!
I got to the venue just as Hennepin Avenue was starting to fill up with foot traffic from the Twins-Brewers game at Target Field. (Sadly, the home team did not come away victorious.) I got to the theater and made my way up the steps to watch one of the opening acts Lydia Can't Breathe. The crowd was sparse enough for me to walk around and find my friends, who I located across the hall watching local rockers Whither the Tide. This was an energetic band that I'd seen at Pov's in Spring Lake Park last fall, and the lead singer wasn't afraid to walk around the crowd during their set.
The evening was split between the side stage and the main stage, which was a former movie theater. There was still a balcony where some of my friends and I hung out for a breather later in the evening, but most of the theater seats were removed for the crowds to enjoy the live music. I liked this idea, although I was surprised there weren't more people in attendance.
The crowds were small enough that my metalhead friends and I could get very close to the stage to enjoy acts like industrial metal rockers Thira, pop rockers My Connection and heavy bands like Motograter and Blue Felix. We were also able to meet some of the members of Thira, Motograter and some of the local artists in bands like Whither The Tide, Names to Faces and others between sets.
I had wanted to see Straight Line Stitch, who were scheduled to play on the main stage before headliners Ill Nino, but my friends and I were also getting hungry, so we decided to grab a bite to eat at the bar next door. I ended up enjoying the cameraderie and conversations that I really didn't mind missing the band. Unfortunately, one friend partied a little too hard and suffered a slight concussion in the pit so he and his girlfriend couldn't stick around to watch the end of the show, so we said our goodbyes to them before going to have supper.
We made it back in time to watch Latin rockers Ill Nino start a brutally heavy set. It was great to hear some of their new songs and classics before our group grew tired and decided to call it a night, but not before we bought some Thira merchandise. I said my goodbyes to my friends and ran in the rain to the parking lot, heading home from another excellent concert adventure!
Well, I guess that's all for now - next time, I'll be writing about the Ashes From Stone CD release show next Saturday, June 13th at the Myth in Maplewood, MN. Hope to see you there! Have a great weekend, everyone!
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Friday, June 5, 2015
The Art of the Meet n' Greet
Over the last few years, I've been very fortunate to meet members of rock bands like Sevendust, Nonpoint, 10 Years, Otherwise, Theory of a Deadman, Black Stone Cherry and many others. When some of my friends have asked me how I've gotten to meet so many bands, I give them this advice:
1. Be polite. Whether you've paid for a VIP experience or are just hanging outside a band's tour bus hoping to chat with them, be polite. Show some respect, and it'll definitely make an impression with the musicians you're trying to meet. Sometimes, they might give you an extra memento, pose for a selfie or chat with you a little longer. You might even get to party with the band after the show!
2. Be realistic. Don't go to the show with a dozen items to have signed. Also, don't expect them to give you a detailed track-by-track synopsis of their latest album, and what their inspiration was for each song. In most cases, there's a limited amount of time that you'll have with the band, and they can only interact with all the people who showed up to meet them for so long. They usually have a curfew before they get back on the tour bus for the next show, and the more you expect of them eats into that time.
3. Do your homework. If you want a great experience, do some research. Follow your favorite bands on social media. If they have a personal or fan page, you can usually find out details about their hobbies and interests. Keep these tidbits in the back of your mind for when you meet the band - you never know the kinds of interesting conversations you can strike up!
4. Support the bands you love - they have to eat, too! The music industry just isn't what it used to be even a decade ago. Most artists aren't making the big bucks. When you're at a show, buy a CD, poster, T-shirt, etc. This keeps your favorite artists going on the road towards their next show and eventually their next album and tour. In most cases, smaller bands are usually working their own merch tables, and are very appreciative of every purchase. I've had several experiences this year like that, and have befriended some of these musicians quickly.
5. These rules apply to local musicians too. In most cases, there's one or two local working class bands that open for a national headliner. Don't disrespect or disregard these artists! Sometimes their performances outshine the headliners. You never know, these local artists could just become the next big thing!
Well that's all for now - next time, I'll be back blogging about the Fukn Awesome fest at the Skyway Theatre in downtown Minneapolis headlined by rockers Ill Nino. Until then, have a great weekend, everyone!
1. Be polite. Whether you've paid for a VIP experience or are just hanging outside a band's tour bus hoping to chat with them, be polite. Show some respect, and it'll definitely make an impression with the musicians you're trying to meet. Sometimes, they might give you an extra memento, pose for a selfie or chat with you a little longer. You might even get to party with the band after the show!
2. Be realistic. Don't go to the show with a dozen items to have signed. Also, don't expect them to give you a detailed track-by-track synopsis of their latest album, and what their inspiration was for each song. In most cases, there's a limited amount of time that you'll have with the band, and they can only interact with all the people who showed up to meet them for so long. They usually have a curfew before they get back on the tour bus for the next show, and the more you expect of them eats into that time.
3. Do your homework. If you want a great experience, do some research. Follow your favorite bands on social media. If they have a personal or fan page, you can usually find out details about their hobbies and interests. Keep these tidbits in the back of your mind for when you meet the band - you never know the kinds of interesting conversations you can strike up!
4. Support the bands you love - they have to eat, too! The music industry just isn't what it used to be even a decade ago. Most artists aren't making the big bucks. When you're at a show, buy a CD, poster, T-shirt, etc. This keeps your favorite artists going on the road towards their next show and eventually their next album and tour. In most cases, smaller bands are usually working their own merch tables, and are very appreciative of every purchase. I've had several experiences this year like that, and have befriended some of these musicians quickly.
5. These rules apply to local musicians too. In most cases, there's one or two local working class bands that open for a national headliner. Don't disrespect or disregard these artists! Sometimes their performances outshine the headliners. You never know, these local artists could just become the next big thing!
Well that's all for now - next time, I'll be back blogging about the Fukn Awesome fest at the Skyway Theatre in downtown Minneapolis headlined by rockers Ill Nino. Until then, have a great weekend, everyone!
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