Welcome to 2020! The year that I will finally hit 300 shows (at least I hope) and there was no better way to kick the year off than at The 7th Street Entry on Friday night with some of the more unique bands in the local scene that deserve way more attention than they are currently getting. Sure, being able to bounce between the show at the Entry and the Wrestlepalooza event happening in the mainroom was exciting (I promise more on Wrestepalooza tomorrow as I will be there again tonight) but it was the passion and talent at the show downstairs that really caught my attention.
Revenant Soul kicked things off with an old school southern rock sound that was nothing short of infectious. Although it definitely wasn’t my typical type of music (hell, none of the show was my typical cup of tea), there was no denying that Revenant Soul has a sense of power about them. Although I tend to pride myself on having my fingers on the pulse of the local music scene, Revenant Soul (and the other bands of the night) seem to have slipped under my radar but that won’t be the case anymore.
After a quick jaunt upstairs to catch some of the wrestling, it was time for Rebel Queens- a band that I’ve been meaning to catch for awhile now just have never seemed to be able to make it happen until last night. Rebel Queens had the same amount of power as Revenant Soul but they brought a sense of grace and perfection to the stage as well. Loudly channeling a very Joan Jett & The Blackhearts vibe, Rebel Queens served up a very vintage sound but with a modern twist. This group is known for the way they are able to seamlessly switch between covers and originals but I have to be honest, I don’t know enough about 70’s music to really know what songs they played were covers (if any of them were) and what songs were originals. That’s the point of this band though and the fact that I couldn’t tell the difference or even care that there was a difference says everything about this band that needs to be said.
Kentucky based Reverend Jack took the stage next. The sole non-local band on this bill, they fit in perfectly to this local scene that I honestly didn’t even knew existed until last night. Their southern and almost bluesy sound was highlighted by screaming guitar solos and a large amount of personality that was clearly felt from the stage. Vocalist Dustin Back seemed a bit reserved and almost shy behind the microphone but guitarist Eric Harmon definitely made up for that with his almost over the top performance and facial expressions. Sure, their music wasn’t really for me and seemed to be curated for a bit of an older audience but that didn’t keep me from enjoying their energy and their overall set.
Closing out the already amazing night at the 7th Street Entry was Caster Volor. The amount of times I’ve seen this band’s name is ridiculous and the fact that a couple of my fellow bloggers had these guys listed as one of the most favorite bands of 2019 definitely had me intrigued and excited for what they were about to give me. The Minneapolis based band wasted no time jumping into a set that was somehow both over the top yet perfectly, well, perfect. Sure, you could take Caster Volor at face value and focus on the amount of cheese their leather outfits and feathered hairstyles bring to the stage but, if you take that away and just focus on the music, you are left with a band that is definitely making Minneapolis proud.
Vocalist Caster Volor definitely has a set of pipes on him that is unlike anything I’ve ever heard from a local band and rivals the vocals of many nationally touring acts. This band is theatrical from their looks bot Caster’s vocals boost that to a level that leaves me completely lost for words. Caster definitely stole the spotlight throughout this band’s headlining set but it was also impossible to ignore the other members of the band as their played through their songs with a sense of perfection and intention. Although each song was clearly theirs, each song brought a different vibe to the room whether it was a southern rock song, or a more standard heavy metal sound which kept their set moving and causing it to seem over and done in just the blink of an eye. I think I’ve always kind of scoffed this band off (I honestly don’t know why) but, after seeing them on Friday night, that is done. Caster Volor has my upmost attention and last night will definitely not be the last time you have to read a blog about how great this group is.
It’s hard to believe that it’s already a new year and I’m excited to see what 2020 will bring as far as concerts are concerned. If last night was any indication as to how my year at concerts will go– I’m definitely optimistic and stoked.
