Beaming down from the colorful mothership of Minneapolis punk rock, Mark Mallman is a legend. Clad in a studded denim vest painted with vivid memories of shows past, Mallman tore into The Turf Club in St. Paul on May 28th like a tornado of fire. Jumping around stage, straddling his keyboard, and sweat pouring off his face, this true frontman wowed the crowd within the first song. His set included a wide range of songs from his repertoire, including some off of his new album “The End is not the End”.
The show bill was filled with local Minneapolis bands, Whosah and Dirty Frames. Whosah opened up the show, and this four piece band primed the crowd for the night. They delivered sunny vocals, splendid guitar riffs, and enough stage energy to fill the entire room. They delivered some noteworthy sing-a-along covers, including Destiny’s Child “Say My Name”.
Second on the bill was Dirty Frames, a five piece band from the Twin Cities. These musicians packed a screaming melodic punch, creating a powerful wall of sound reminiscent of rockstars. Each member layered a different element to their songs, which allowed an evolution that ranged from dance-all-night to deadly force. Even though it was their debut show, Dirty Frames definitely cosigned the memo that rock is not dead yet.
For a weekend night in St. Paul, the show was an A+. Headliner Mark Mallman is a local legend who commands the crowd to smile, love life, and dance with abandon. Each of his songs ended with his smile beaming to the very back of the room and to the screams of the crowd. A rainbow array of lights lit up his bandmates with the vigor of a group of musicians well versed in the art of truly captivating a Saturday night crowd.
