Joseph Reminds Us of the Power of Siblings at First Avenue

With summer fading out for the year, many Twin Cities residents are looking for memories to fill up the warm months of 2019. Buying a ticket to see Oregon based, indie-folk band “Joseph” certainly appealed to more than a few people as the main room floor filled up. The band seems to draw in a younger audience of people looking to get a taste of some west-coast energy.

This energy came not only with Joseph but also with Deep Sea Diver who opened the night. The Seattle based band came out to fill the air with some dream-pop tunes. Lead singer Jessica Dobson had an energy about her that was empowering to any individual in the crowd wishing to take charge of their life. She helped to control the crowd and keep them fixed on the music she and the band were creating on stage.

It’s been three years now since we’ve seen any releases out of this group, but at the show, they were happy to share some new material which will be a part of their upcoming record. They also jammed out some fan favorites off their previous two albums: “History Speaks” and “Secrets” giving many audience members some memorable sing-along moments. With a full-length record on the way, I’m sure it won’t be long until we see Deep Sea Diver returning to the Twin Cities.

After a quick stage change headliners Joseph were ready to make their entrance. First, the three backing members of the band responsible for the rhythm section and keys entered. Intentionally dressed in back to blend in with the backdrop so as to not distract audience members from the three sisters who followed them on stage. Natalie, Allison, and Meegan all made their way up, each with their own respected aura about them. The group has been on tour in support of their most recent album release “Good Luck, Kid” which brings the band into a more polished rendition of their harmonizing folksiness.

As each sister danced, each with their own special moves, the band made their way through a number of new songs and fan favorites such as “In My Head” and “Green Eyes.” Midway through the set, Jessica Dobson of the opening act returned on stage to help the band with a few tracks such as “Baby Baby” which proved to be a highlight for many crowd members including myself who loved seeing these four women control the stage with such power and energy.

The group did not shy away from being honest with the crowd about the meanings behind their songs. In fact, they seemed eager to create a dialogue with the crowd and share the backstories of their work. Influences came from all across the board ranging from friends’ newborn babies to feelings of shame and regret. As the audience’s bond grew tighter with the sisters, there seemed to be growing support for the night to continue.

While the night, unfortunately, had to come to an end it felt great to be apart of such a supportive group of people. Joseph seemed to feed off this support and shared in their gratitude as they made their way off stage promising to return soon. While it’s hard to say how soon it will be until they return, I’m sure most people from the night are hoping it’s on the sooner side.