After the bustle of the Twin Cities hosting the Super Bowl last weekend in the midst of another wintry cold spell, an evening at The Garage proved once again to be a great way to warm up and enjoy local and national music in a small setting. As with most shows hosted in The Lounge, the side stage inside of the venue, there was a promise of an intimate evening, especially when the crowd gathered in close for the first band of the night.
Opening up the evening was local Minnesota four piece indie rock band Marmalade. Right from the beginning of their set, the band hit hard with their bran of indie rock, with each member of the group gelling well together both sonically and charismatically. Set to hot an EP release show in the beginning of March, Marmalade showed off their range of musicianship, with three members sharing vocal duties and one guitarist switching out their six string for a saxophone.
After Marmalade left the stage, the most musically intense set of the night began. Casual took the stage resembling the sound of bands like The Chariot and ’68, never stopping long enough to break the high level of intensity the band set. The band set up in a triangle shape, all members facing one another and amplifying their performance as the trio was able to showcase their incredible technical skills and musical craftsmanship. Easily a crowd favorite of the night, the band displayed impressive songwriting leaving both myself and the crowd wanting more.
Next up was the start of the touring bands, the first of the three being Canadian band Rarity. The band started their set off strong, feeding off of the crowd’s energy and returning it as several members of the band enticed the crowd to get closer and more rowdy. One of the highlights of their set was when the bassist leapt off of the stage and into the front of the crowd, with the crowed gathered in a half circle around him, adding another level of intimacy to their performance.
Fossil Youth, the headliner of the tour, took the stage next, playing their 26th of 58 shows across North America. The alternative punk band altered the dynamic in the room once they took the stage, playing a tight knit, emotive set. Fossil Youth, out supporting their release “A Glimpse of Self Joy,” was perfect for The Lounge, as the band’s moody and expressive set amplified the intimate setting.
Closing the evening on their first night of the tour was local Minnesota band Unturned. Easily the band with the most crowd response of the night, Unturned played with a melodic crooning that was unlike outpour from the previous bands. Gearing up to record a new record in March, the band tested out some of their new material live and received a very positive response from the audience as the band closed out the evening in The Lounge.
