I made my way to downtown St. Paul on a perfect Friday night in September. This time it was for a show. Let’s not kid ourselves, it’s always a show. This one is special, though. In some of the most transformative years of my life, there were a handful of bands on an almost constant rotation. Mine were a little quirky when put together. AFI, Rilo Kiley, Nine Inch Nails, and Cloud Cult, among others. There’s pretty much one thing these bands have in common for me now: I have never been able to cover or photograph any of them.
That night, though, I got to change that. Cloud Cult is a band I’ve seen more than 12 times in my life, but it’s been about that many years since I’ve seen them. They are also the first concert that I brought a point-and-shoot camera to and thought “Wow that’s the coolest picture I’ve ever taken! What a rush!!!” Walking up to the Palace Theatre had me already in my feelings. They’re a band that does something so special; they make you feel vulnerable. They’ll break you down to your most raw emotions, hover in that dark space for just long enough, and then catapult you up into pure joy.
I think it was difficult to revisit Cloud Cult for a while. The music reminded me of a lot of people and places that are no longer in my life; not to mention the perilous journeys that frontman Craig Minowa takes the listener on with his artistic approach to musicianship. Not only through lyrics but song structure and instrumentation.
I was finally ready to make the jump back in. A homecoming show was just the way to do it!
David Huckfelt was such a wonderful opener for this local bill. He echoes back to Cloud Cult a shared vision of sustainability and environmental justice. He also is an extremely vocal and active fighter for the Native American community. I had warm feelings seeing him in the center of such a large stage with the crowd hanging on to his lyrics.
He sharply strummed his acoustic guitar donning a black suit and embellished brimmed hat fit for the Opry. One single spotlight shone down and cast a shadow from his hat down his face. It drew the focus to his lyricism and kept an air of anonymity. The sound of his harmonica enveloped the crowd between lyrics rung out with the sometimes unhurried but always sure style of Bob Dylan or War On Drugs’ Adam Granduciel.
Huckfelt spoke cheerfully between songs. He took a couple of opportunities to lament the meaning Cloud Cult has had for him over the years, and on this tour especially. Sharing that he hadn’t seen a band captivate and connect with fans live like this very often. Other songs brought anecdotes about the upcoming song, spirit, travel, and more.
As a wonderful surprise, he brought Annie Humphrey out to sing and drum with him at the end of the set. Humphrey is Leech Lake Anshinaabe and her presence enriched a night that was already off to an incredible start. It was spiritual.
Humphrey’s daughter Giizis joined her onstage for the final song to perform a jingle dress dance to a helper/spirits song. She had a red handprint over her mouth signifying the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement. Huckfelt dedicating the time in his set to highlight these traditions and causes was something that I really appreciated.
Cloud Cult took the stage through a blast of light and fog. It was cinematic to see all 7 members confidently step out into the light and went into “Hope” from 2007’s The Meaning of 8. It was just the perfect way to begin. Painter Scott West feverishly mixed paints while Sarah Perbix’ French horn resonated. It felt like seeing old friends when Shannon Frid-Rubin, Shawn Neary, and Craig Minowa appeared. Perbix, Daniel Zamzow, and Jeremy Harvey were new additions to the band for me and I could tell immediately that they were a beautiful expansion of the group. They added so much joy to the stage.
The setlist was a pleasing mix of old and new. Their newest effort Alchemy Creek was rightfully at the forefront with songs like “The Universe Woke Up As You”, but it was lifted up even higher with additional songs like “Lucky Today”, “No One Said It Would Be Easy”, and their classic cover of “Mr. Tambourine Man”. “Unexplainable Stories” was a stunning mid-set surprise. Much like the French horn during “Hope”, Neary’s Trombone added such warmth and depth as the rest of the instrumentation crescendoed into an exploding energy that glistened throughout the 2,500-person room. “You Were Born” was dedicated to Minowa’s son, Nova, who was celebrating his birthday and had inspired the song.
Zamzow wore his cello like a guitar. He swung his backlit body around joyfully as if it was effortless. Harvey’s drumming was energetic and precise. West’s painting spun and tilted as he worked. The element of visual art has always been such a captivating element of a Cloud Cult performance. Tonight’s painting portrayed a face surrounded by a skull, bird, and fox with a pallet of contrasting warm and cool colors.
The stage was full of some of the most talented musicians but also carried the air of a child-like whimsy mixed with healthy doses of heartbreak. As I looked around the room, I saw those same sentiments being shared by the crowd. It ranged from toddlers to seniors. Smiles and tears at any given moment could be found throughout the historic venue. Generations of fans from around the world had come to town for these shows, and it was really special.
I left the Palace feeling euphoric. This has certainly been a year of growth and change for me, and I and at least 2,000 other people needed a cathartic night.
“We’ll just keep going forward with no need for going back”
