Nathaniel Rateliff at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (16 April 2014)

Caroline Rose

Opening up the show was Caroline Rose, a self-described Americana band, but I would throw them in the country category as well. They were actually more excited to be playing “next door” to Todd Barry. We’ve seen the funnyman a few times and can understand why they were excited about Barry in Minneapolis that same night … but he was actually billed at the Cedar Cultural Center, which is actually more than a few blocks from 7th Street. Of course, this is the same band that jokingly said Prince was going to be in the audience.



Songs on their setlist were “Thomas Flyer, 1907”, “When You” (new song), “Roll On”, “America Religious”, “Blood”, “This Is What Livin’ Feels Like”, “Honey, I’ll Be Fine”, “Six Foot Woman” (about a slut), and “I Will Not Be Afraid”.



After Nathaniel Rateliff, he immediately thanked the audience for braving the snow (yes, it’s snowing in Minneapolis in mid-April) and said, “You’re all pretty used to this weather?”



Just so you know, I previously seen Rateliff, but under his band Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, which was more of a high energy soul/R&B band… Rateliff, last night, was quite different under his solo material. Forgive the pun, but the two bands’ music are like night and day.



Songs on Rateliff’s setlist were taken from the new album, Falling Faster Than You Can Run, plus his 2010 album In Memory of Loss. He did some new songs, which, currently has not been released, such as “Closer”, which was one of two Rateliff solo songs.



Many of Rateliff’s songs were based on real events and people he knew. For instance, the song “You Should’ve Seen The Other Guy” (which got the biggest reaction from the crowd), was loosely based on the death of his father… which was true at one point until he found out the real story.



As for the encore, they sang songs from In Memory of Loss (“Early Spring Till” – perfect song for this terrible Spring, and “A Lamb On The Stone”).



Nathaniel Rateliff is currently on tour in support Falling Faster Than You Can Run, out now on Mod y Vi Records.