10.12.24 – By Danielle Linneweber

Indie rock veterans Nada Surf brought their signature brand of dreamy power pop to Fine Line on October 12 while on their ‘Moon Mirror’ tour, pleasing the devoted crowd of long-term fans.

Office Dog from New Zealand opened the show with their lo-fi vibe. The three lads were very humble and seemed to be finding their footing on stage. You could see their confidence gradually build as the setlist went on and the crowd shouted words of encouragement to give them a boost. Lead singer Kane Strong said that it was their eighth show in a row, which was an adjustment for them considering there are only four cities in New Zealand that they usually tour. It’s their first time in the United States. Their catalog is small with only two albums (Doggerland and Spiel) that were released in the past year. The trio stayed in a small huddled mass on stage for the majority of their set with a female keyboardist named Violet joining them for three songs. Their sound has a strong 90’s grunge influence, with hints of The Smashing Pumpkins creeping in on occasion. Streaming their music prior to the show convinced me that they offer the perfect languid soundtrack to a cold and overcast Minnesota day with songs like “In the Red” and “Warmer.” On stage, their songs had more urgency and drive to them, especially the last song of the set, “Big Air.” They’re on their way to establishing a solid stage presence and Nada Surf’s lead singer Matthew Caws told the crowd to keep an eye on Office Dog, as they have the potential to really take off. 

It was fun to see the juxtaposition of the touring pros in Nada Surf taking the stage after the shy newcomers. It’s been twenty eight years since the band burst onto the scene with “Popular.” They could have gotten lost in the shuffle long ago as one-hit wonders thanks to that song, but instead, they persisted and sought to evolve and branch out beyond the confines of “Popular.” They’ve released ten albums during their career, including the stellar Let Go in 2003 that truly established their signature power pop sound. Their most recent release, Moon Mirror, came out last month and follows that same effective formula. 

The band focused heavily on those two albums during their ninety-minute set at Fine Line, showcasing their consistency over the past two decades. That’s a key theme for Nada Surf, as the original three members of the band are still together, with Caws at the helm, Ira Elliott on drums and Daniel Lorca on bass. 

Lorca took the stage with his signature dreadlocks and a cigarette in his mouth. His ability to sing with the cigarette dangling precariously from his lips is always a trip to watch. Elliot, with his leopard print shoes and general happy-go-lucky flair that he adds to the drums, is also a highlight of their shows. Caws leads the band with a quiet, steady demeanor. Also joining them onstage was Louie Lino, their veteran touring keyboardist. 

The band kicked things off with hits from Let Go. “Inside of Love” was a surprisingly mellow choice to start the night, as that fan favorite usually shows up mid-set. They quickly picked up the pace with “Hi-Speed Soul” and then  tackled new material with “In Front of Me Now” featuring a catchy chorus and upbeat tempo. “Fruit Fly” from Let Go has been a staple at their live shows and I’m convinced that no other band could write and perform a song about fruit flies that can be so tender and melodic and inspire a crowd singalong. 

The band covered the usual crowd pleasers in “Killian’s Red,” “Blonde on Blonde” and “Treading Water” from Let Go, in addition to five more new songs from Moon Mirror. “Mathilda,” “See These Bones,” “Hyperspace,” and a smattering of songs made the cut from their other albums as well. The overall set felt a bit more down-tempo than usual based on my experience seeing every show of theirs in Minneapolis for the past twenty years. I fear I may have turned into *that* fan who just wants to hear the hits, even though I do like most of the new songs on Moon Mirror. 

The encore featured the aforementioned “Popular” and “Always Love.” It’s the first time I can remember that they haven’t played “Blankest Year” at the end of their set. There’s nothing more fun than shouting “Aw, fuck it. I’m gonna have a party” with the rest of the crowd. But instead of going out with a loud bang, they took a quieter approach with all four bandmembers standing at the front of the stage to sing “Blizzard of ‘77” with no mics and Caws on acoustic guitar. They also did this at their last show here in 2021 at Cedar Cultural Center. The band and crowd singalong to this hushed song is always a goosebump-inducing and fulfilling way to end the night. 

Caws was at the merch table signing albums and posters after the show, which proves how genuinely grateful the band is for their veteran fanbase. I don’t see these workhorses of the indie rock world hanging it up anytime soon, thankfully.