Sold out 7th Street Entry. And on a Wednesday night no less. That was the case this week in Minneapolis for an extremely sold out Girlpool show. Girlpool is a band that has been buzzing on our radar for quite some time and finally got the chance to catch them live. I’ve written before, I am always a little hesitant about buzz bands, but Girlpool absolutely lived up to, if not exceeded, the hype on Wednesday at The Entry.
Another band that absolutely exceeded any expectations I had was openers – Snail Mail, the Baltimore-based three piece. This trio looked barely out of high school, but absolutely charmed The Entry. Snail Mail is the project of Lindsey Jordan, lead vocals and guitar. There is an undoubtedly a youthful energy to them, but that youthfulness is not to be confused with immaturity. Jordan plays with the skill of someone beyond her years, but she totally has that bright-eyed charm. From her banter on stage, “this is our first time in Minnesota! We like swam in a lake today,” to peeping her dabbing at the merch table, there’s that teenage charm mixed with the wisdom of an old soul. Snail Mail’s set feature Thinning and Static Buzz, among a handful of new songs. There seemed to be a bit of nerves at the beginning of the set, but Snail Mail totally hit their stride and had the Entry captivated for their roughly 40-minute set. The kid in the front row mouthing “oh my god, I love them” to his friend, pretty much sums up my sentiments on Snail Mail.
Following Snail Mail was the Brooklyn-based trio, Ian Sweet. Ian Sweet is the project of lead vocalist/guitarist Jilian Medford. Medford, much like Jordan of Snail Mail, seemed like on of those musicians so finely tuned into the musical universe, there’s an effortless ease Medford plays with. Ian Sweet is rounded out by drummer Tim Chiney and bassist Damien Scalise. There was a magical chemistry to this three-piece, each member seeming so aware of the other during their set. Medford joked during their set, “last night we all kissed before the set, and it just made us play so good. So much sexier. We forgot to do that tonight. We’re not gonna do it now, I don’t wanna do that in front of all these people, maybe we’ll do it after.” Ian Sweet’s set was noisy and clamoring, but with moments of control, still making space for Medford’s vocals and lyrics to shine.
Headliners Girlpool took to the stage around 10:30 pm to a packed and sweaty 7th Street Entry. Again, it’s always surprising to see the Entry so packed on a week night, but this stacked lineup on Wednesday, topped off with Girlpool it’s not wonder they sold it out. Girlpool is Cleo Tucker guitar/vocals and Harmony Tividad bass/vocals. These two, like Ian Sweet, seem to have a antenna to one another onstage, just an undeniable chemistry and energy – knowing when to play off each and knowing when to step back and let the other take center stage. Tucker and Tividad ping-ponged back and forth off one another through the set with a . Some standouts from their set included Cut Your Bangs, 123 and Sleepless.
Girlpool, Ian Sweet and Snail Mail continue their tour tonight in Iowa City!
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