Kate Malanaphy at 370 Sets, St Paul (August 5, 2025)

Singer, songwriter, and artist Kate Malanaphy was the latest in the 370 Sets, a Tuesday afternoon summer series in downtown Saint Paul that we’ve leaned into heavily in the last month plus. Malanaphy, also a member of the band Keep For Cheap, is an indie alternative musician who released their debut album Rock in 2023.

Playing in keyboards and singing, Malanaphy’s vocals were quiet, but evocative, over the repeated keys refrain. The opening notes of the second song elicited clapping from one audience member, with the vocals displaying a sense of longing, especially on the late refrain of “tell me why”. This was a slower tempo and chill vibe. Malanaphy mentioned that they were performing songs in a bit of chronological order, so playing the older material from the EP Soak at the front of the first set.

Chutes and Tommy Oefflingwith Kate Malanaphy at 7th Street Entry (Aug 16, 2025)

A bit of banter let Malanaphy mention that they mostly play with a full band these days, and also highlighting a show August 16th at 7th St. Entry, “so enjoy the solo songs!”. Dirty Laundry was a great example of the musical style, with the evocative keyboard work and the pleasant singing layered on top building to a late song crescendo.

A little bit of odd feedback in the sound system seemed to initially annoy Malanaphy, but they quickly moved fully back into the performance and it was a minimal issue going forward. Some really nice instrumental sections on a late song in the first set highlighted Malanaphy’s skills on the keys and the next number let them open up vocally. A cover of Bruno Mars’ It Will Rain was a good choice for the style of the afternoon.

After a short intermission, Malanaphy opened the second set on acoustic guitar, continuing the more subdued feel they were creating. It was a surprisingly minimal contrast from the first set, though perhaps an even more peaceful sound. Garden was a beautifully intimate song and Malanaphy was hitting an entrancing new gear as they continued the guitar led numbers. Although they mentioned a couple of times that these songs usually have a backing band, I think it was a delightful turn to hear them stripped down to their essence like this. I’ll Never was a song full of vulnerability and may have been the highlight of the second half. Playing a couple from Keep For Cheap songs was a change of pace with the more country sounding numbers. After a newer original, Malanaphy switched back to keys to go for the close with a brand new one (a bouncier and most upbeat number of the performance), followed by a very early one. Finishing on a cover (Mars’ When I Was Your Man), Kate Malanaphy had completed another enjoyable 370 Set.