Flashback: Babes in Toyland at First Ave, Minneapolis (11/25/2000)

Here is another flashback article, documenting some old shows I’ve seen prior to W♥M.

Since I love all-things Riot Grrrls, naturally I wanted to check out Babes in Toyland live. A little trivia, but the legendary Minneapolis band actually fired bassist Courtney Love in 1987. She, of course, went on to forming Hole and marrying Kurt Cobain.

Not listed on the flyer or ticket was The Crush, a local band that broke up in 2004.

The other opener was Japan’s Melt Banana. We recently covered their live show at Triple Rock (10/23/13), so with that performance still fresh in my mind, I’m going to say that their energetic noise music were probably welcomed by Babes in Toyland fans.

At this point in time, Babes in Toyland were pretty much inactive as far as writing new music. They hadn’t release anything, studio-wise, since Nemesisters in 1995. However, there was a resurgence of Babes-related music with a trilogy of compilations by Almafame Records (Lived, Devil, and Viled) and a rarity compilation by Recall Records (Natural Babe Killers), all released in May and July of 2000.

This First Avenue show was thirteen years ago, so I have pretty poor memory of the event. I didn’t keep a music journal or took notes, I was just there to enjoy the show as a fan. So apology to any lack of the details.

The historical fact for this cheap show ($8), was that, in fact, it would turn out, Babes in Toyland’s very last live show. I was there, I just didn’t know that information at that time. I knew it was a reunion show, but I didn’t think anyone in the audience knew this was going to be their last show ever.

The official recording of the show would later resurface a year later called Minneapolism: Live – The Last Tour, under Cherry Red Records. Please note  Wikipedia indicated that the record was from “November 21, 2001”, although according to legal documents online when First Ave filed for bankruptcy, it lists Soul Asylum on that date.  The actual date of recording is November 25, 2000 (the show I went to see), as noted by discogs.com

Anyway, Minneapolism: Live – The Last Tour‘s liner notes indicate two original members, Kat Bjelland and Lori Barbero, but “with thanks to” Jessie Farmer on bass (since Maureen Herman might have left the band at this point).

I wish I had photos from this show, but again, I didn’t attend this show to report the event.

Babes in Toyland broke up in 2001, and although singer Kat Bjelland tried to use the name again for a UK tour in 2002, the original drummer Lori Barbero shot down that idea, raising legal issues with this comment, “Peter Murphy is not booked as Bauhaus. Daniel Ash is not booked as Love and Rockets.”*

Kat Bjelland’s current project is Katastrophy Wife, but the band seem to be inactive at the moment.

* Quote is taken from “Babes In Conflict”, by Peter S. Scholtes, City Pages (Mar 20 2002).