7 PM on a Saturday- Where Are Your Kids? At Good Kid at First Avenue

The first thing I noticed upon arriving at First Avenue on Saturday night was my age. It was a harsh reality to be surrounded by kids who could literally be my own kids, but it also filled my heart with so much joy. I've talked about how sick I am with people claiming that kids these days just don't know good music and don't support live music. If only those people with those complaints could have been at First Avenue on Saturday night to feel the sheer electricity and excitement in the nearly sold-out room. That would have shut them up and changed their mindset instantly.

Although I was coming into this show blind (or so I thought, but more on that in a bit), I was instantly in love the second New Jersey-bred Phoneboy stormed the stage. Not only was I caught off guard by the deafening shrieking that was taking place throughout the audience, but I was instantly in love with the energy that this young band was giving me. Stylistically, Phoneboy is an indie-alt-rock band, but that makes them sound a bit generic, which couldn't be further from the truth. I instantly picked up on a retro feel in their sound. Every song seemed to have this slight Arctic Monkeys/ The Strokes vibe, but there was also a subtle jazziness behind some of their tracks that gave me slight Rex Orange County vibes. All of these influences were wrapped up in a bow that can only be called Phoneboy.

This band is young. I don't know their ages, but they just came off as a wee bit green, which can be a quick turn-off for me. However, that wasn't the case with Phoneboy. Their bright eyes and bushy tails shined in the spotlight as the house lights shined on the packed audience. Although this band is excellent and deserving of the attentive and sold-out audience, they were a bit in awe of the feeling of playing a nearly sold-out iconic First Avenue. Although this didn't affect their sound or even their performance profoundly, every time one of the band members would look out across the sea of audience members, it warmed my heart and soul. I was literally watching these kids have their wildest dreams come true, and it just added to the magic of an already razzle-dazzle kind of set.

The razzle-dazzle didn't end there. In fact, it was amplified as the headlining act, Good Kid, took the stage. I thought I had gone into this show completely blind, but I knew exactly who this band was within just a few notes of Good Kid's set. I can't go more than just a few minutes without music, so I hear a lot of stuff day in and day out. I have a habit of putting on random playlists that I don't even pay much attention to just to help me get through the day, but every once in a while, one of the songs on these random playlists will catch me. I've been caught by the sound of Good Kid from these playlists more than once, but for some reason, their name didn't stick with me-- just their music did so to be standing there, thinking I'm at just another show for my count, another night of trying to escape adulthood and get hit with their original, bouncy, and infectious sound swept me off my feet.

I would call Good Kid a pop-punk band, but not everyone would agree with me. I call them pop-punk because of their relatable lyrics and the slight edge that comes with the delivery of some of those lyrics. I know a lot of people would probably fight me and say that they are more indie rock because of the slight jangle in their instrumentation and the fact that, really, there's not much punk influence here, but I think we can all just agree that however you want to classify Good Kid, they are just one of those amazingly fun and carefree feeling bands.

Formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Good Kid consists of five members-- Nick, Jon, Michael, David, and Jacob. I loved how, before the band kicked into their set, each member was given a chance to walk the stage as a recording introduced them. I was waiting for one member to get more of a cheer than the others as I tried to figure this band out but, instead, got an equally deafening roar of applause with each member. Sure, vocalist Nick Frosst got a slightly louder applause, but he was also the last one to take the stage, and the audience knew what was coming next-- I did not.

The band started playing, and instantly, there was a flurry of activity. From the audience to the stage, there was an undeniable and indescribable wave of energy and electricity that seemed to take over the room. That shrieking roar of applause quickly turned into a massive sing-a-long (okay, scream-a-long would be a better way to describe it). I was so busy trying to snap my pictures of the fast-moving group that it took me a second to realize that, internally, I was singing along. As mentioned, I thought I had gone into this blind show but the first couple of songs of Good Kid's set were ones that I instantly recognized. "No Time To Explain" was followed by "Alchemist," and then "Bubbly"-- each song making me want to dance a little bit more. The band continued to play fifteen other songs in their set and then a three-song encore. Although I didn't know all of the songs they played, I was floored by how many I recognized from those random playlists that I always have playing and loved that every song felt familiar purely due to Good Kid's unique sound and style.

Clearly, I was in love but still wondered why I was one of the oldest people at this show outside of the parents standing upstairs in the 21+ section. It wasn't until I did some research that I discovered that Good Kid is a "Fortnite band." I don't know if that's the right terminology or what that truly means. I know that I've heard of Fortnite and know that it's a video game that my boyfriend's son isn't allowed to play at his mom's house, but that's it. I'm just too old and too immersed in music to have time for video games, but I love the fact that Good Kid has found their niche and, more importantly, that it's getting kids out to live music.

If you're one of those people who thinks good music is dead or that kids these days just don't have the talent or anything unique to say through music, you are wrong. It's not up for debate. Open your eyes and go to a show from a band like Good Kid, and you will quickly realize that these kids know music, and they know how to put on a hell of a show.