Standing off stage last Friday, holding my camera and waiting to begin shooting the show, I realized two things as the crowd began chanting, “Tapes n’ Tapes! Tapes n’ Tapes!”
(1)Should I ever join a band, the name needs to be chant-able. This is an absolute must.
(2)This was going to be a pretty incredible show.
(2)This was going to be a pretty incredible show.
And it was. Coming home off a tour promoting their new album, Outside, it was clear that these guys love playing to a home crowd – particularly at First Avenue. They played several tracks from the new album, mixed with choice cuts from both The Loon and Walk It Off. The last time I saw these guys live was at the Lowertown Music Festival and, although it was good, there was energy lacking. Perhaps it was the fault of the afternoon sun – maybe everyone had entered an afternoon sleepy zone – but I think this band is at their best when the audience knows their songs. That is exactly where they were at on Friday night.
There was a surprising age range in the crowd – from young college kids right up in front of the stage to middle-aged rock lovers closer to the bar. Everyone seemed to be genuinely having a good time – at one point, things did appear to get rough up front, but then a guy said something to the troublemaker in the crowd and things seemed to settle back down – that’s the kind of Minnesota nice you’ll see at First Ave.
Mind you, when using the phrase “settle back down,” that’s not an indication that this was at all a low-energy show. Tapes n’ Tapes don’t really do slow – even when a song has a slower tempo, it is still teeming with barely restrained energy. If you aren’t dancing at some point during their show, you might have arrived asleep. The guys themselves looked as though they were having a smashing good time.
As a side note, it is a wonderful thing that Minnesota creates so many rock bands that aren’t afraid to smile & take things a little less seriously on stage.
Josh Grier, the lead singer and guitarist, did most of the talking on – TnT isn’t a particularly chatty band, but you did almost feel bad for them when Josh mentioned that only a couple of days early, the group had been in Texas. Almost.
The last song of the main set was “Freak Out,” the first single from Outside. It’s been in fairly heavy rotation on the Current and the crowd loved it. Their chants brought the guys back on stage with beer and a beach ball – the final song of the night was “Insistor.” It’s one of their older hits, from The Loon, but such a phenomenal song – and when David Bowie endorses something, you know it’s good. And it was the perfect way to end the night.
The next time you hear about Tapes n’ Tapes playing the main room at First Avenue – make a mental note to pick up a ticket. Their new album, Outside, is available now online and at all fine local records stores.
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