Arlo Parks Beams Brightly at the 7th St Entry

Another sold out show at the Entry as we just can’t get enough live music back into our lives. Had the Fine Line not already been booked for the night, this show would have shifted over there to accommodate the demand. The crowd filled in rather quickly by the time MICHELLE, a six-piece band from New York City, made their way onto the stage. The group of four singers offered up lush harmonies as they were backed by a pair of instrumentalists playing the beats, keys, guitar and bass. They fell into a groove and danced their way into the hearts of those in the crowd. It took until around the fourth song of the set for the crowd to get the message and to let the music take over and dance along more. As they spoke the introductory words for the song Pose we were reminded that this song was about dancing and now is the time to let it happen.

The group of 6 musicians certainly get on quite well with one another and they showed that through their carefree energy and cohesion. Towards the end of their 30 minute set Charlie, the guitarist, fretted the guitar as Jamee took over and strummed the guitar for the final bars of a song. The audience cheered as the group grinned widely from their playful antics. Charlie chimed in with a statement of being the only second best guitarist in the group.

Their new album, After Dinner We Talk Dreams, will be out on January 28, 2022.

MICHELLE set list: Stuck On U – FYO – Sunrise – Pose – Looking Glass – Syncopate – Mess U Made – Unbound – The Bottom

Various faux plants adorned the stage as a calming feeling from nature was brought inside. The guitar effects boards were wrapped with bouquets of flowers while Edison bulbs on stands illuminated the spiraling flowers that crept up the pole. Large leafy greens sprang out of the pots around the drum kit. The band walked out of the darkness and began to play a slow and heavy intro song punctuated by drums soaked in reverb. Arlo bounced out from behind the backstage curtain to a roar from the crowd as the music shifted to the song Hurt.

This was the first visit to the US for the band and they were excited to be here. Arlo mentioned that Minneapolis is such a magical place because of Prince and Arlo’s mom requested photographs of anything and everything Prince related. With much anticipation Arlo will come back again in the future and play the mainroom at First Ave just as Prince has so many times before. The song Romantic Garbage is an old one that Parks still enjoys as its a way to acknowledge that dreams are coming true with these musical endeavors.

Joy filled the room as the crowd sang out as Arlo held out the microphone for them to sing the chorus to Caroline. Another bright moment during the night was from an otherwise bleak song, Caroline, which was written about a friend that was struggling in life through depression but is doing better now and that gives a sense of hope.

Arlo Parks is one those artists that has an abundance of talent and already has started to make waves in the music world.  Parks has made what can only be the first of many more visits from London as this 21 year old mesmerizes audiences with such exuberant melodies and crisp instrumentation.

For those that were not able to acquire tickets to this show you’ll have another opportunity to see this talented artist when Parks returns to Minneapolis to open for Clairo on March 18, 2022. Sunday was just that a day full of sun and as the darkness took over into night, Arlo Parks was there to shine some hope and make things a little brighter in our world.

Arlo Parks setlist: Hurt – Green Eyes – Cola – Portra 400 – Romantic Garbage – Too Good – Caroline – Collapsed in Sunbeams – Eugene – Black Dog – Sophie – Super Sad Generation – Hope