07.26.23 – Photos by Brandon Lenzmeier / Review by McKenna Klaphake

For less than $20 on any given night you can see a handful of incredible local musicians perform all over the Twin Cities and that is exactly what I experienced on Wednesday, July 26th at 7th Street Entry. Sticky floors and the full summer heat did little to quell the crowd who showed up to support grunge/punk/rock bands Dad Bod, Odd Prospect, Anita Velveeta, and In Lieu. All of the bands displayed impressive guitar skills, fast drum beats, and insane vocal stamina as they performed highly energetic songs. 

In Lieu started the night on a literal high note and came out of the gate with intense guitar riffs and screaming. The band combines the talent of Nikii Post (guitar/vocals), Mano Holgin (drums), Kyle Adams (guitar), and Skarie (bass.) The self described “grunge-y, scream-y and noisey” sound that the band demonstrated immediately cleared the air and lead singer Post noted, “Y’all awake? Did we wake you?” 

As Post screamed each lyric, the crowd became a frenzied mosh pit that was swept into the intensity of each song. The band performed their released material including an EP that came out earlier this year titled, “Kettle.” Everyone in the band got into every song which added to the energy created in the room and made the overall set more engaging. Guitarist Adams and bassist Skarie whipped their heads back and forth while wailing away on their guitars. The various distorted guitar sounds and pinches added to the beautiful chaos of each song and made for satisfying punk tracks. In Lieu is widely respected in the DIY community and after seeing them perform, I can see why. Each song seemed to flow easily into the next, and before I knew it, the set was over and I was eagerly awaiting the next performance. 

Having seen Anita Velveeta perform many times, I am so excited to finally get to write about her! Anita always brings the most charismatic energy to her sets which really allows the audience to settle into the show and let loose. The singer confidently talked with the audience as if we were long time friends. Many of her songs touch on social issues, like her song “Terfs Will Not Get Into Heaven” which got the crowd riled up and ready to mosh. The artist was supported by John O’ Brien on guitar, Jake Berglove on bass, and Benjamin O’Malley on drums. The band seemed extremely practiced and in sync while shredding away on their respective instruments.  

Anita Velveeta played many released tracks including, “finger puppet,” “milk,” and “I saw the devil in Portland, Oregon,” the latter of which featured intense red lighting and vigorous riffs. Anita’s unique and spunky voice fits her music perfectly as each track is special in its own way. There are clear influences from a wide range of genres in this artist’s songs, which made it all the more interesting to listen to.

Anita finished her set with the song, “disassociating in the back room of a Starbucks” which resulted in the singer stage diving into the audience and hanging from the ceiling while supported by excited crowd members. By the end of the set it became very clear that everyone loves Anita Velveeta. 

Odd Prospect was passed the energy created by Anita and ran with it. I had never heard of the band before attending this show, but they are now one of my new favorites. The grunge-y rock band started their set with a punchy fast paced beat. The trio consists of lead singer Ariel Lerner, bassist Leo Lerner, and drummer Clark Amann. The band expertly balanced rock pieces with more intense punk sections. Lead singer Lerner, displayed immense vocal stamina while switching between belting and emo screaming. This was particularly heard in the track the band released last Halloween, titled, “skinwalker.”

My favorite song that they played was their new release, which was so new it was published earlier that same day, titled “POWER LINES.” This show not only celebrated the bands first time performing at First Avenue, but it was also Lerner’s birthday. The crowd sang happy birthday to the singer while he took a giant, well-deserved bite out of a piece of cake. The band’s songs were well crafted and fit in perfectly with the other performers that night. One of the beauties of local shows is getting to walk away having heard of at least one new band, which is exactly what I experienced on Wednesday night. 

Dad Bod rounded out the night with a set of shoegaze tracks with folk and rock influences. The band consists of lead singer/guitarist Callie Marino, bassist Grace Baldwin, guitarists Noah Topliff and Wilson Zeller, and drummer Alex Gray. Fans of Phoebe Bridgers or Mitski will fall in love with Dad Bod and the mix of emotional vocal belts and passionate instrumentals. Every band member was enthusiastically into each song as they moved their bodies along with the music. They played a variety of songs, many of which were a preview to their upcoming album release, including their most recent single, “Milkdrinker.” Guitarist Zeller, who usually faces one of the amps while performing, turned around to the audience, mid set, to fill the dreaded tuning silence with a raunchy dad joke and sarcastic comments of dread from fellow bandmates followed. While it may have been slightly cringey, Zeller exhibited excellent crowd working skills in between songs which kept the audience engaged. 

The band executed excellent communication, verbally and nonverbally, as they displayed practiced synchronicity through every beat drop and key change. Marino’s lyrics are as sentimental as they are beautiful. Every emotion is felt at its most extreme while you’re fully immersed and mesmerized by Dad Bod’s music. Marino’s ethereal voice stands out especially in the band’s more fast paced and intense tracks. These contrasts made for impactful pieces that had me immersed until the very end. 

Dad Bod curated a night of bands that may seem similar on the outside but each bring their own unique touches to the local DIY scene. The feeling cultivated by everyone in attendance was that of acceptance and self expression. If someone fell down in the pit, someone else was there to help them up. I love getting to attend shows like this because of this exact atmosphere and I really hope that more people get to experience it.