Black Midi at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (2021-10-11)
- 953
- Speedway
- Welcome to Hell
- Dethroned
- Sugar/Tzu
- Defence
- Faster Amaranta
- Lumps
- Still
- Chondromalacia Patella
- John L
- Near DT, MI
- 27 Q
- Slow
Opening the show was Brooklyn’s L’Rain (Taja Cheek), playing to a flower declorated mic station. The American experimentalist, multi-instrumentalist, composer was recently added to influencial Pitchfork’s 25 Next List. They are saying that these artists are shaping the future of music.
Her sound is a little experimental with influences from free jazz and ambient, even shoegazing. Whatever she’s doing, the crowd absolutely loved her set.
Possibly the best entrance introduction I’ve heard in a long time, black midi (singer/guitarist Geordie Greep, singer/guitarist Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, bassist Cameron Picton, drummer Morgan Simpson, keyboards Seth Evans, and saxaphonist Kaidi Akinnibi) came on stage to a boxing-style announcer. The undefeated champion of the world!
Although the band is named after the Japanese music genre black MIDI, the band sounds nothing like it. They’re more art-rock/experimental rock. The sound reminds me a little bit of Clinic.
Like it or hate it, you can’t deny they drew in a massive crowd and clearly had a big fanbase in Minneapolis, thanks to the fact that their new record Cavalcade (Rough Trade) landed on multiple “Best Albums of 2021 (So Far)” lists.
10/15 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit
10/16 – Kingston, NY @ Tubby’s
10/18 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
10/19 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
10/21 – Baltimore, MD @ Union Brewery
10/23 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle Tavern
10/26 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
10/27 – New Orleans, LA @ Republic
10/29 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk (Levitation)
10/30 – Houston, TX @ The Secret Group
03/22 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theater
03/25 – Detroit, MI @ The Majestic
03/26 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
03/28 – Montreal, QC @ Société des Art Technologiques
03/29 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
03/30 – Providence, RI @ Columbus Theate
04/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
04/05 – Washington, DC @ The Black Cat
04/06 – Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom
04/09 – Nashville, TN @ Basement East
04/11 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune
04/12 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
04/13 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
04/19 – Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre
