It was a normal (cold as folk) Sunday night in Minneapolis, but howls and folking awesome jams were erupting from the Skyway as Coyote Kid and Motherfolk took to stage, in that respective order. As lead singer Durry (Austin Durry of Coyote Kid) heard from me while we shook hands between sets: I had absolutely no idea what I was walking into as I took to the stairs leading up to this show. To quote Andy Townsend from EA Sports FIFA: “STUNNA. ABSOLUTE STUNNA.”
The local Coyote-Pack we know as Coyote Kid took to stage with a howl and presence that I haven’t been blessed to see in any of the shows that I have gone to this year. 2020 just kept getting better and better with each track the coyotes played for us this evening. They managed to get us to scream “bloody murder” and rage our heads along with every cryptic, horror movie soundtrack-sounding banger they unleashed on the crowd that night. We heard the commentary and sensational vocal range and guitar strumming of Durry, alongside brass-god John Baumgartner (Johnny Bones) that swapped between different brass instruments during songs, angelic vocals and bass sorcery of Cassandra Valentine (who has a holiday connotation tied to her last name that gives me flashbacks to my absurd night about 10 days ago) and the Drum-demon of awesomeness of Austin Wilder. These guys and gal are not to be slept on – you better get some tickets to their show that’s less than a week or so away HERE. More to come with them and the nightmares some of their music might give me – and I mean that in the best way possible!
“Don’t sleep on this band, sleep on a bed.”
At one point during the set, Bobby (vocals and guitar) stopped the entire show to wait for Nathan (vocals and guitar, as well) as he left the stage abruptly – not sure where he went, to date! Clayton joined the just-mentioned two guys up front, all wearing their iconic pink shirts and smiling faces alike. Ethan was behind them the whole time, with a smile that beamed through the crowd as he sat (and often stood) to tap-and-clap the drums like it was his last chance to make music ever. We seemed to have missed Karlie on the keys tonight, but some audio-looping had her stage presence still heard, albeit not as felt as the remaining lads. Bobby and Nathan had their fair share of moments joking with the crowd between songs, specifically asking us which state we hated most in Minnesota (Iowa was first, then “fuck Wisconsin” was yelled, repeated by Bobby with a question mark at the end, then returned by an older guy in the front row throwing up birds right in the lead singer’s face – you can’t make this folking absurdity and hilariousness up). We all ended up being told that Texas was better and warmer, albeit wetter, than Minnesota – admittedly, a lot of us didn’t know what to say when we were asked why we choose to live here – get back to us on that, Motherfolkers!
“Give My Heart Away” brought a fat grin and (no joke) tear of joy to my eye as I remembered that this was the first show that I have gone to, recently not as single as I was the last time I was at a show on this side of town, waiting on a girl to call me; Yes, the same spectacular date from Valentine’s day that Excision tried to take me away from. Thank FOLKING God that I’m still alive to tell another story from another spectacular night reporting for TCM – I would have let her taken my life after leaving a dinner date on such a spontaneous note. I tapped around on my phone and shared with her the song just mentioned as well as a few cheesy lyrics before I found myself flashing to the moment of writing this piece now. Hey Valentine – sorry again…
But, Folk me right? You can’t have mistakes if you don’t go out and make them. Luckily, this night was nothing of the sorts just described and I can’t wait to cover these bands again in the near future.
Motherfolk will be in Wisconsin next – hopefully getting flipped off as soon as they let the crowd start talkin’ smack about Minnesota there much like we did to them on 2/23/20 at the Skyway.
