|
08/07 Arcy Drive with Lapdogs and Connor McLaren
at 7th St Entry
Tour Dates
Aug
10
Indianapolis, IN, US
HI-FI
Aug 12 Ferndale, MI, US The Loving Touch Aug 15 Buffalo, NY, US The 9th Ward Aug 16 Albany, NY, US Empire Underground Aug 18 Carrboro, NC, US Cat's Cradle Aug 26 Cambridge, MA, US The Sinclair Sep 8 Bristol, TN, US Bristol Rhythm Sep 11 Columbus, OH, US The Basement Sep 20 Santa Cruz, CA, US The Catalyst Atrium Sep 23 Del Mar, CA, US The Sound Sep 24 Del Mar, CA, US The Sound Sep 30 Dallas, TX, US The Cambridge Room Oct 1 Austin, TX, US Parish Oct 2 San Antonio, TX, US Paper Tiger Oct 6 Charlotte, NC, US The Evening Muse Oct 9 Charleston, SC, US Charleston Pour House Oct 10 West Columbia, SC, US New Brookland Tavern Oct 11 Ybor City, FL, US Crowbar Oct 14 Nashville, TN, US Brooklyn Bowl - Nashville Read More
|
Monday night was an all-age show at the Seventh Street Entry for a couple of performers who were new to the Twin Cities and one local band that was quite familiar with the venue.
Connor McLaren opened up the early show with a solo, acoustic set. He is from Bloomington, Indiana and he drove directly from his home state to be at the show. A designated psych-folk artist, he describes his music as: “Bob Dylan doing a line of Oasis with a shot of Sublime.”
He sported a colorful ensemble to match his ebullient personality, a broad smile was present throughout the set. “McLaren,” he introduced himself after a couple of songs. “Like the car, but no relation.” If he did, I imagine he would have made great time driving from Indiana to the show.
A few songs in McLaren played “Lemonberry” from his debut album Innocence. Although the name comes from a strain of weed, he iterated that it wasn’t about that. He then sang a “Cliche” about two ex-girlfriends that by happenstance were friends. It was a song that had faint echoes of Bob Dylan’s “Baby Blue” and was a crowd favorite.
Before he ended the brief set, McLaren thanked everyone for coming out and said he would be at the merch table and “...would love to meet you kind folks.” He then said that sounded old and he should probably stop listening to so much Dylan.
Local musicians Lapdogs next took the stage. Although, on the scene for a few years, they seem to keep a low profile. Where some musicians will go on and on with their bio, the only blurb I could find for them was this: “Lapdogs is composed of Gunnar, Aaron and Oliver, three good friends”.
They must be a venue favorite for they have played Seventh Street at least six times in the past year, as if they are on speed dial when a band is needed for a show.
Although their set was high energy with a light touch work on the guitar, they kept up their low-key demeanor between songs. It was so quiet at points an audience member asked the name of the played songs. Answers: “Belvidere Oasis” a gas station in Illinois. And “Green,” like the color, which was a great song to finish the set.
Arcy Drive then sauntered on stage to Hot Chocolate's “You Sexy Thing.” Like the Lapdogs, they are a group of childhood friends. They are from Northport, NY, composed of Patrick Helrigel on bass, Brook Tuozzo on drums, Austin Jones on guitar and Nick Mateyunas on lead vocals and guitar.
Although new to the scene with a proper debut album still to be released, they had a successful tour in the spring due to heavy social media following on Tiktok. They just played Lollapalooza in Chicago and Minneapolis was the beginning of their Stattic Tour Part II.
It was refreshing to see how nonchalant and easy going they were even though their songs had a feeling of professional maturity. Surprising, since most of their legwork involved practices in sheds and attics and concerts near their Long Island home. After all, why not have fun? Why not play spirited music? Why not introduce “Spider” in a Cockney accent and another song with an Aussie drawl? Why not play Blondie’s “One Way or Another” with a laidback punk vibe and stop after the first stanza? Why not jump back in a converted school bus, head out of town to the next gig and see how far it will go?
|
|
Arcy Drive at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (07 Aug 2023) |
| dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com |
Recent Comments