K. Flay and Missio Bring Energy to First Avenue

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I walked out of my apartment to find an ominous sky greeting me behind the Minneapolis skyline. I thought about going back into my apartment to grab my raincoat but, let’s be honest, I was already at my car across the street and it would have been just too much work. As I drove the five minutes downtown, I noticed the sky getting dark and darker and the lightning off in the distance was becoming much more frequent. I arrived at the ramp I always park at, took the elevator down to the ground level and headed to the door only to be greeted by a ridiculous downpour. I clutched my purse as tight as I could and made my way into the torrential rain. I had timed it perfectly with the one light I would have to cross but I still arrived at First Avenue literally dripping wet and cold. Needless to say, my night was not off to a good start but I was hopeful it could only go uphill from there.

After attempting to dry off and grabbing my sole drink for the night, I claimed my spot near the front of the stage but a bit off the side as to not seem too eager. I have to be honest, I had never heard of the opening act Missio before but, as soon as they started their set, I recognized exactly who they are. Hailing from Austin, Texas, Missio is an electronic duo that has truly made waves in the music world. With a hit song that is getting an amazingly large amount of radio play yet no album out yet (it’s due to hit stores and online platforms May 19th of this year) the empire this duo has created is truly something to be respected.

As I was watching the crowd react to Missio’s set, I couldn’t help but be sold on the atmosphere. Their music has a very EDM/ Electronic feel that translates perfect to the almost rave like atmosphere that was going on during their set. Singer Matthew Brue really didn’t have to do much of anything to get the crowd going. It seemed like everyone was jumping and moving around to the deafening beats before Matthew or David Butler (the instrumentalist of the duo) even addressed the nearly sold out crowd.

The crowd seemed a bit disappointed when the duo left the stage and the screen came down hiding the changeover. People headed to the bar or headed out to smoke while their friends saved their spots. First Avenue was quickly filling up and floor space and breathing room was quickly turning into a commodity. It seemed like timing was perfect and as soon as the masses started flowing back to their abandoned friends, the screen in front of the stage came up and it was time for the headliner, K. Flay.

Much like Missio, K. Flay seems to be completely taking over the music world with her mix of lo-fi/indie-pop/ hip-hop/ electronica music. It’s something unique and fresh sounding with a whole lot of heart behind it. I can definitely see her music and sound becoming part of the playlist for this summer.

K. Flay, born Kristine Meredith Flaherty, from Illinois has been around for a couple of years now. With two full lengths, a couple of EP’s here and a couple of mixtapes there, she is definitely not a new face in the world of music. Her hauntingly beautiful voice is distinct and memorable. It’s the type of voice that, as soon as you hear it, you know exactly who it is and that’s a very hard thing to pull off in such an over saturated scene.

Not only was K. Flay’s music on point, her energy was perfect. She didn’t come off as trying too hard or not trying enough, she came off as being herself. She stormed across the stage when she was singing a more intense line of lyrics and that showed just how much passion she has for what she’s putting out there. At the same time, there were points where she would just grab the microphone stand and sway with her eyes closed. It was obvious that she was feeling the music and, as I watched her do this, I couldn’t help but feel it too.

I almost didn’t go to the show last night. Two friends and I were leaving at 4AM this morning to drive to Columbus, Ohio for Rock On The Range. I was dreading covering a show that was going to go until at least 11PM and then having to turn around and drive fourteen hours to Ohio. That being said, catching that show last night was more than worth it and may have given me the extra energy I needed to complete the trip to Columbus, OH.

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