How fitting that on this Minnesota Monday, I have a Hold Steady concert to write about from yesterday - the first pool party of the season.
First up was Jay Roddy and the Business. Next was The Loved Ones. I didn't love either of them. They both had some good songs and a lot of energy, but I just couldn't get that into them. The Loved Ones aren't really my kind of music I suppose. They're more headbanging rock, which I have to be in a very particular mood to enjoy. And Jay Roddy and the Business were kind of a mixture of various rock styles that I wasn't quite sure what to do with. I don't know if it was that I was distracted by the torrential downpour (hence the lack of pictures, sorry) or that I was tired or that they played really really long sets, but I got kind of impatient toward the end there. I just wanted to see The Hold Steady damnit!
The Hold Steady finally went on around 6pm, and they too played a long set, but since I know their music and since a lot of their songs are about growing up in the Twin Cities, I was much more into it. I love the number of Minnesotans that show up for their concerts wearing Minnesota paraphernalia (mostly Twins stuff) and who cheer whenever there are blatant Twin Cities references. As always, they had a great energy, and seemed like they were having a blast. I love how unpretentious they are. They aren't super suave rockstars. In fact the lead singer is kind of a dork. But he embraces this and lets himself have fun, which is contagious. And hey, I love dorks. I'm a dork. So good times were had. And they played some stuff off their upcoming album, due out July 15th, which was cool.
Your Little Hoodrat Friend [mp3] - "Separation Sunday" (iTunes)
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