Gdansk based Trupa Trupa is making a blitzkrieg, 10 stop, coast to coast US tour during the month of May. May 5 finds them at The Entry with local favorites Saint Small and Another Heaven. Tickets and details can be found HERE.
There are those who need to know exactly what genre they’re getting before heading out to a show. There are those who are a bit more adventurous. The latter is where you find the new thrills. Trupa Trupa, which literally translates to a “troop of corpses”, is an example of that kind of adventure.
Don’t ask me to define the band’s sound. By design, it won’t fit any category you already know. It’s mostly managed chaos with hints of Bach and Beatles melded into some kind of Syd Barrett pysch punk fever dream. The new album, B Flat A, on the Sub Pop label, is both dark and intellectual. Not all that surprising when one considers that frontman Grzegorz Kwiatkowski is quick to point to imagery from the novels of Nobokov in describing the band’s approach.
Trupa Trupa is far from a household name yet. But that could be changing. The band was a SXSW showcase entry in 2018 and 2019. They followed that up with a Coachella appearance. Any time you have a chance to see a band from the Coachella roster inthe Entry, it’s worthwhile. They may not be the most accessible, or danceable, band going. But there is little doubt they’ll stretch your boundaries, just as they seem to destroy any which confront them.
Supporting TT is post punk Saint Small making their Entry debut. This St Paul based quintet is far more accessible and straightforward than the headliner. They are edgy, smart and produce a whirlwind of recognizable echoes and influences. Saint Small has been together less than 5 years but all of the members bring some type of high end musical pedigree. All of those influences are now coalescing under the influence of frontman Jim Slusarek. Each time I see them (which is as often as possible), the band continues to make impressive strides. Saint Small knows that great rock and roll should make you smile.
Look for a new release soon. The track list is all Saint Small. Each song drawing on a sound that it simultaneously recognizable and unique. As soon as you think you’ve got them figured out, they’ll surprise you. Just when you settle into a late 80s Fugazi vibe, they may lay a Wet Leg cover on you.
Opening the festivities is Minneapolis based Another Heaven who return for the 8th time to a First Avenue stage. Local fans may recognize members of this band from former shoe gaze stalwart Hollow Boys. Another Heaven incorporates many of those same sensibilities with a darker, sludgier attitude.
