One thing you can always count on is a Soul Asylum concert at First Avenue around the holidays. The 2018 edition is Friday December 28th in the Mainroom. The show is presented by 89.3 The Current and City Pages and will include two other popular local acts, the 4onthefloor and Loki’s Folly. It’s an 18+ show and tickets are still available HERE
Soul Asylum has been inspiring that level of passion since 1981, when the band, initially known as Loud Fast Rules, formed in Minneapolis. The band’s raucous live sets and early releases on the hometown indie label Twin/Tone — including the albums Say What You Will, Made to Be Broken and While You Were Out — earned it a loyal fan base and widespread critical acclaim. Soul Asylum’s indie success led to the band entering the major-label mainstream with 1988’s Hang Time and its 1990 follow-up And the Horse They Rode In On, and achieving a platinum-level commercial breakthrough with 1992’s Grave Dancers Union and 1995’s Let Your Dim Light Shine. Grave Dancers Union featured the international hits “Runaway Train,” which won a 1994 Grammy as Best Rock Song, and “Black Gold,” while Let Your Dim Light Shine spawned the hit “Misery.” The band went on hiatus after 1998’s Candy from a Stranger, during which time Pirner released his first solo effort, Faces & Names. Soul Asylum returned to action in 2006 with The Silver Lining and released Delayed Reaction six years later. Soul Asylum is Dave Pirner, Ryan Smith, Winston Roye, and Michael Bland.
“When I was a kid, I wanted to be in a band, and I decided that’s what I was gonna do, and that hasn’t changed,” Pirner notes. “This whole thing is an act of faith, and the worse the music business gets, the more of an act of faith it becomes. But I don’t give a f—, I’m gonna keep doing this until the day I die. We’re always struggling to figure out how we’re gonna make this work, but I’m not going to waver. People who feel disenfranchised tend to identify with Soul Asylum,” Pirner observes. “I’ll look out at the crowd and see people singing along with my songs of frustration and insecurity, and the irony is not lost on me. There’s a part of me that’s never gonna fit in, but I love being around people who love music, and I’m very loyal to the idea of whatever Soul Asylum is. The future is bright, everything is good, and if there’s something in this record that can make people feel like things are gonna be OK, then it’s mission accomplished.”
THE 4ONTHEFLOOR
“This is Rock’n’Roll in the 21st century.” Joining together in the name of fun & joy, the 4onthefloor bring their well-oiled, high-octane, rock’n’roll to the world with an immediacy rarely seen on stage in the 21st century. The furious delivery ebbs and flows with sing-a-long anthems and breakdowns to soaring guitar solos and unbridled full-bore rock. Camaraderie is a common theme, and stompers are finding like-minded rock’n’rollers at every show. Hailing from Minnesota, they take the heavy road route, grooving in the tracks of so many rubber to the road musicians before them. Following in the footsteps of some of the band’s influences, being on the road plays a large role in the writing. The merriment must come from all angles, including the stage for a memorable show and the 4onthefloor BRING IT. Douglas writes about experiences, failures, successes, and not-so-much the what-could-have-beens. Life is for the living and this is the soundtrack to a life well-lived. Keep the fire in your eyes. In September they released their latest album, The North Remembers, which includes some great songs including “Ignitor,” “Faux American,” and “Radio Edit.”
LOKI’S FOLLY
Loki’s Folly the is two young punk sisters who play loud music that makes us happy and might cause a little mischief. Hopefully you saw them play “Kids Don’t Follow” at The Replacements Tribute show on Black Friday at the Turf Club. If not, hopefully the will include it in their set Friday night. Local bands have been arm-wrestling over this young opening act and this time Soul Asylum wins. I hear the girls are super-excited for the opportunity. Get there early to provide your support.
