070 Shake Shines at First Avenue
On Sunday, February 9, singer/rapper Danielle Balbuena, AKA 070 Shake, filled First Avenue full of her fans.
Opening the show was Johan Lennox and Bryant Barnes
Johan Lennox
When looking up the openers for the show, I was surprised by how someone so accomplished was not on my radar. A singer, composer and producer, Lennox gained an increase in popularity after producing for big-name artists like Travis Scott, Lil Nas X, Big Sean and 070 Shake herself. With such a strong resume, I was stoked to hear what his solo work sounded like.
As First Avenue’s curtains lifted, I was intrigued to see the musicians that were accompanying Lennox’s performance – a cellist, violinist, and a DJ. Under a bath of moody dim light, Lennox walked on stage and sat behind his keyboard, kicking off the show.
Lennox’s performance was a lush blend of orchestral, electronic and hip-hop. His voice was powerful and raw. His songs were full of emotion – spanning the topics of personal anxiety and navigating adulthood. While performing, there were moments where he would conduct his string section. He later announced that the string players that joined him on stage were local musicians that he hired specifically for his Minneapolis performance.
After a strong opening set, Lennox thanked the crowd and walked off the stage. Throughout the rest of the evening, he sat at his merch table. Shaking the hands of each person who walked up to him.
Bryant Barnes
Singer-songwriter Bryant Barnes took the stage with an air of quiet confidence, immediately drawing the crowd into his world of soulful, introspective storytelling. With a minimalistic setup—just a keyboard, a guitar, and his powerful voice
From the first note, his smooth melodies and deeply expressive vocals cut through the venue, commanding attention. The stripped-down nature of his performance only amplified the emotional weight of his music and emphasized each word he sang.
His genuine interactions and storytelling between songs enhance the overall experience, making each song feel personal and memorable.
070 Shake
070 Shake stepped onto the stage, hidden by a large curtain just transparent enough to see her silhouette. A fury of white light strobed as she started to perform, and lights amplified her shadow creating a stunning opening for the performance.
It was clear the audience was in for something special. Known for her genre-defying sound and raw, emotional delivery, Shake transformed the venue into a space that felt otherworldly—where ethereal synths, deep bass, and haunting vocals collided together.
Instantly setting the tone with pulsating beats and eerie, atmospheric lighting. As the bass reverberated through the venue, Shake’s unmistakable raspy, auto-tuned vocals cut through the mix, creating a hypnotic trance that had the crowd swaying in unison.
Visually, the show was as immersive as the music itself. Moody, pulsating lights and glitchy projections added to the surreal experience, making it feel like we were inside Shake’s own dreamscape. The crowd was locked in from start to finish, fully absorbed in the world she created.
