In September of 2015 I wandered into a random show and completely fell in love. I fell in love with the music, the vibe, and everything else that happened that night. That show was headlined by Fidlar- a band that I had never heard of prior to stumbling into The Varsity that fateful night. Flash forward to November of 2016 when I had another chance to catch this band. It was the same feeling, the same joy, it was perfect and as I walked out of the venue that night in November, I was already counting down the days until I could see Fidlar again. Last night was finally my chance and to say I was ready for it would be an understatement.
Kicking the night off was NOBRO and although I was most excited for the headliner, I instantly fell in love with this four-piece. Their sound was essentially the female version of Fidlar. It was dirty and grungy yet perfectly rehearsed and very together. I watched in awe as the four women powered through their set and I couldn’t help but envy their energy. That had this very “I don’t give a fuck!” vibe about them while somehow keeping it completely professional. Their heavy guitar riffs and driving drum beats mixed with their infectious and oddly upbeat melodies was exactly what I needed to get over the hump that is the 8PM lull. Just like I walked into my first Fidlar show three years ago and fell completely head over heels, I instantly fell in love with NOBRO last night and am already craving another chance to catch them.
Following NOBRO’s quick yet explosive opening set was Dilly Dally. Although their music was definitely a bit more subdued than the opening act, Dilly Dally’s set was full of an electric energy that had me stuck where I was with my eyes glued to the stage. Hailing from Toronto, Canada, this act has only been around since 2015 but judging by the way the crowd was so attentive, there are big things on the horizon for this act. There was something about singer Katie Monks that was so captivating and intriguing. Her voice was haunting and almost creepy at times where at other times her voice was like razorblades with a scream that cut through the air with ease.
Although I thought I had never heard of this band prior to catching them on Friday night, within just a couple of songs I recognized Katie’s voice and recognized a couple of songs. Thinking you’re being introduced to a new band just to figure out you know exactly who you are watching is one of my favorite things. I hear a lot of songs in passing from the music played between sets at all of my shows to being over at friend’s houses and in their cars. There’s something magical that happens when you recognize one of those songs and get to put a face and vibe to it before digging into it or doing any research. Dilly Dally may not be a household name quite yet but they are definitely on their way and I absolutely can not wait to see what happens with them.
Closing out the show was the one and only Fidlar– a band that quickly took over my daily playlist after stumbling into their show many years ago. The band wasted no time and kicked into their set that happened to be the tour kick off for them (which I’m not sure why they did it in Minneapolis being that they are from California but I’m definitely not complaining!). It’s crazy to think that this band only has two albums out but has so many great songs that I wanted to hear. If I had it my way, they would have played two sets- one for each album- but you can’t have your cake and eat it to. The band did a great job of picking songs from each album to perform while throwing in some new ones from an album that will come out sometime soon… maybe.
Much like NOBRO, this band has a very “I Don’t Give A Fuck” vibe. I mean, Fidlar stands for “Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk” do I really need to say more. Their songs follow that mantra in a way. With lyrics that seem so simple and so stupid, they somehow fit every 20 something’s life perfectly. “I drink cheep beer. So what? Fuck you!” I mean, can you find me any better lyrics? Absolutely not. Fidlar is an honest band with real lyrics and that’s what creates the magic when you go see them. Instead of holding back and standing there with a drink in your hand, Fidlar’s music and energy makes you want to go in the pit. It makes you want to grab the stranger next to you and start dancing. It makes you do everything that normally you would be scared to death to do. If that doesn’t show the power of music then I don’t know what will!
Just a couple of songs in, singer Zac Carper asked that the females in the audience be given the chance to take over the mosh pit that had formed. Although I didn’t hear everything he said after that as I had grabbed my friend and was dragging her to the center, I did hear him speak about how with all the crap going on in the world and at shows in general (the amount of sexual assault accusations and incidents in the live show world lately has been nothing shows of heartbreaking), he wanted to make sure that the ladies had a chance to do their thing without anything holding them back. Although I’m fortunate to live in a place like Minneapolis where these incidents are few and far between, I truly loved this statement and what he did and the smile on my face as my friend and I moshed (okay Jessica, that was moshing… you finally moshed) was one of the biggest smiles I’ve felt in years.
I had put last night’s show on a pedestal. I was so excited to see Fidlar again and they didn’t let me down in the slightest. It’s crazy to think if I hadn’t had stumbled into that random show three years ago, last night wouldn’t have happened. I urge you all to stumble into a random show and find your Fidlar. It will literally change your life.
