It’s no secret that Minneapolis is home to some pretty great bands. The local music scene in the Twin Cities is one of the most vibrant and diverse (ok, we might be a little biased). This city is a breeding ground for great music with new bands always popping up. And it’s especially a treat to watch a band come up in the Twin Cities and then go on to gain exposure beyond the Minneapolis and St. Paul area. And of course one of these bands is Poliça. And when bands like Poliça do go on to experience the success they have, the Twin Cities music fans are always quick to cheer on their hometown heros when they swing back through town.
Since getting their start in the Twin Cities around 2011, Poliça has gone on to sign with the renowned Mom + Pop Records, play a slew of both national and international tours and release a handful of incredibly well received albums. And on Saturday night Poliça made their triumphant return to a sold out First Ave mainroom to celebrate their 5th Anniversary as a band.
Poliça is a band that has constantly pushed the envelope, mixing elements from many genres, and defying the typical boundaries or constraints of synth pop music. Poliça has collaborated with a myriad of artists throughout the years and always seem to have a pulse on what the next sound or trend is. With that also comes an astute awareness of up-and-coming artists to collaborate with, highlight, etc. Last night’s openers showed this read that Poliça has on the music scene in general. They brought along Baltimore based rapper Spank Rock to warm up the stage. Last night was a bit of preview of the Eaux Claires festival (full lineup was announced this week). Both Spank Rock and Poliça will be playing Justin Vernon’s Eaux Claires festival in July.
Spank Rock put the subwoofers in the mainroom to work with his heavy bass and rhythmic raps. Spank Rock had a bit of an early Childish Gambino vibe, noted our photographer Andrew Dobin. Spank Rock commanded the stage solo and blended elements of hip hop, electronic and synth. His performance, paired with trippy lighting and backdrop, made for a psychedelic set, no drugs necessary. Although from some wafts of smokes from the crowd it seemed that some had chosen to partake in something other than PBR tallboys last night.