Photos by Vito Ingerto
I am used to having to drive to another state to get the full festival experience. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of amazing block parties outside here in the Twin Cities that slightly feel like a full-blown music festival, but it’s just not the same. Well, that all changed on Friday. Instead of driving hours, getting lost, paying for an Airbnb, and being far away from home, I drove just twenty minutes, parked in one of my standard concert-going ramps, walked just a few blocks, and found myself at a full-blown festival- Minnesota Yacht Club.
There was a lot of speculation leading up to this festival. Was it really going to happen? Although I didn’t give into all of the conspiracy theories floating around out there, the fact that Harriet Island Regional Park, where the festival was being held, was under feet of water due to flooding just weeks ago had me worried. Those worries were put to rest as I walked up to the ground. It was dry, clean, and, most importantly, it didn’t stink, as some reporters had mentioned leading up to the gates opening. As I entered the grounds, saw all of the people, felt the sun on my skin, and smelled all of the smells that come with a live music festival, I couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. It was all happening, and I was so excited.
I love that this festival only had two stages that switched back and forth between the day rather than multiple stages that competed against each other (although there was competition at the end of the night, which I will get into later). Because of this, I was able to see all nine acts of the day, and I want to tell you about all of them, so, warning you now, my thoughts on each band will be short, but I hope they still do each group justice!
Local band Gully Boys started the day with angsty energy and power. I’m sure opening this festival with such intensity was a bit much for the suburbanites who had drifted into downtown Saint Paul for this festival, but it was perfect for me and the exact amount of energy that I needed to set the stage for the rest of the day.
Following Gully Boys was another local band- Harbor and Home. Full disclosure: I don’t only work with this band; I am in a relationship with one of the members, so no matter what I say here, it will sound biased, but these boys sounded so great. The way their sound filled the entire area was beyond perfect, and it brought a carefree sense of fun to an already super fun day.
I didn’t feel that Morgan Wade’s music was the best fit for such an upbeat and celebratory festival, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying her country-based singer-songwriter-styled sound. Although everything about Morgan’s set and this festival, in general, felt polished, I loved the raw emotion that seemed to radiate from the stage and into the quickly growing audience.
I will never not enjoy seeing Michigander live and although my favorite performance of theirs will be seeing them at The Icehouse in Minneapolis back in April of 2018, their set on Friday is definitely in the running for my favorite. Although everyone’s time on stage was short, Michigander curated a set that perfectly represented the way they can perform such a staggering sense of emotion while also making you smile and dance.
Up next was Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, and, come on, does this band really need any introduction? At 65 years old, Joan Jett still absolutely has it. She and her amazing band powered through a quick set of hit after hit. I loved the way that this set really showcased how music can bring so many different people together. The young were singing with the old, the cool kids with the geeks– literally everyone was into Joan Jett & The Blackhearts’ set, and for good reason.
Durry has been making waves for the past few days and has really been putting the Twin Cities music scene on the map as they continuously tour throughout the country with their “Minnesota-bred banner” flying high. Seeing this local band on such a primo spot at such a giant festival was a treat, and this group didn’t muck up their chance to prove their worth.
Full disclosure: I was most excited to see the next act, Gwen Stefani. From her work in No Doubt to her solo stuff, she has always been an icon for me and so many people around the world, so seeing her live was an absolute treat. Gwen did a great job of playing both solo songs and No Doubt cuts while doing it all with a fierce sense of energy. Although I wasn’t surprised when Blake Shelton took the stage with his wife (Gwen) as that happened the last time I saw Gwen perform, it got a rise out of the audience and added a little dazzle to an already sparkling set.
By the time The Head and The Heart took the stage, I was exhausted. I was a bit sunburnt, beyond hungry, and chugging water like it was going out of style. Even with all of those miserable feelings flowing over me, the music of this Seattle, Washington-based folk-rock band seemed to soothe my soul in an unspeakable way. That being said, there was definitely a sense of anticipation in the air for the final act of the night that was to start just minutes after The Head and The Heart.
I’m not sure how the timing got off, but right at 9 PM, when the headlining act, Alanis Morissette, was supposed to start, it did. You could hear a recording blaring from the main stage, which is normal, but what wasn’t normal was how the music from the second stage, where The Head and The Heart was playing, didn’t stop. This led to a tense couple of minutes as the two stages competed against each other. I don’t know that there is anyone to blame for this happening. Honestly, festivals like this are run so tightly that I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more often, but it definitely led to some confusion, the sound of chaos, and some laughter (because it was funny) but; eventually, The Head and The Heart left the stage after gracefully finishing their set, and all eyes turned to Alanis Morissette.
I wasn’t quite sure how Alanis would translate as a headliner solely because she was never one of “my acts,” but she killed it. Known for her distinct voice, Alanis laid it all on the stage on Friday night and cut her heart open for all to see. Her performance was staggering, it was stunning, it was perfect. There were moments that I wanted to cry, moments I wanted to sing, and many moments where I was left with nothing more than a cheesy smile on my face as I scanned the fields and saw just how many people I was sharing this exact moment with. It was a beautiful way to end a lovely night.
Friday was the first day of the first Minnesota Yacht Club festival. I’m heading back to Harriet Island Regional Park today (Saturday) for another day of fun in the sun, and I honestly can not wait. See you down there?
