The Tubs Setlist

Round the Bend
Dead Meat
Two Person Love
Narcissist
Sniveller
Freak Mode
One More Day
Illusion
Illusion, Pt. II
Chain Reaction
Wretched Lie

— Encore —
The Name Song
Teenage Kicks (The Undertones cover)
I Don’t Know How It Works

Set Times

TURF CLUB

DOORS
8:00PM

FOYER RED9:00PM

THE TUBS
10:00PM

Tour Dates

17 Oct Turf Club Saint Paul, MN
18 Oct Schubas Tavern Chicago, IL
01 Nov Hebebühne Hamburg, Germany
06 Nov John Dee Oslo, Norway
10 Nov LARKBerlin, Germany
12 Nov Restaurant Gdanska Oberhausen, Germany
19 Nov Sala paral.lel 62 Barcelona, Spain

While many people in the Twin Cities were headed to Minneapolis to see a certain Brit (Sir Paul McCartney), I stayed in St. Paul instead and went to the Turf Club to see the Welsh in the form of indie rock band The Tubs.

The opening band was Foyer Red, a Brooklyn based quintet (vocals/keys/clarinet/flute, guitar, guitar/vocals, bass, and drums). They have a 2023 album, Yarn the Hours Away. I love self-descriptions and “Foyer Red makes sweet but abrasive songs” had mostly won me over before they ever took stage. Vocalist Elana Riordan was the glue for this band, taking up whatever instrument was needed. On the second number, Pickles, we had both lead vocalists going, and it was a good mix over the busy guitars. We had three vocalists on Shirley Temper and it highlighted the various sounds the band could reach, with busy pedal boards throughout. The song ended with a nice pairing of the clarinet and guitar.

The first banter had yet another band during Rocktober saying it was their first time in Saint Paul, and Foyer Red moved further into their set. Painters Tape had a longer musical intro, with a good bass riff and another song where both lead vocalists traded off at points during the song. Throwing a little 3/4 time signature into the mix was a good change of pace. Purple Sweater was back to all three vocalists, and the bass carrying things forward, with a change up in rhythm for a flute instrumental. Foyer Red completed their opening set with Chain and closed on a louder, more chaotic number. A quick interview with the band had them in a grateful but tired mood, as they had driven from Seattle in the last few days. We talked about how the Twin Cities often serves as a fulcrum for national tours, where bands are either having a long drive in from the west or it’s the last stop before heading out west. The members also spoke well of the headliners, who they clearly have gotten to know well and become friends.

Speaking of headliners, The Tubs are a Cardiff based quartet (vocals/guitar, guitar, bass, and drums) formed in 2018 and have released two albums, including 2025’s Cotton Crown. The band came out with a strong rock & roll sound and the second song, Dead Meat, was an excellently quick and effective number. (Side note: the drummer wearing the T-shirt of the opener? Well played.) We were told it was drummer Taylor Stewart’s birthday (who was a bit into his cups) and he hammed it up on the intro to Two Person Love. His birthday became a running joke including whether it was Stewart’s birthday or not, but the band rolled on with some very good songs.

Sniveller was a harder edged number, with the heavy guitar work by Dan Lucas leading the way. The band continued to use Stewart as the center point to between song banter, joking along as they tuned for the next number. Freak Mode reached back to an earlier alt rock era and let Owen Williams go into a more soaring vocal mode. The bass drum sliding forward away from Stewart created a whole “teamwork” from the band, and we had some help from staff and the opener in securing the drums between numbers. Chain Reaction was side stepped for a moment for part of a recent McCartney song (played and sung only by Stewart) before getting back on track. Coming back for an encore, The Tubs rocked out two more to a well entertained crowd. What seemed like the last song let Taylor take lead vocals on a cover of Teenage Kicks, and was a highly amusing way to seemingly end the evening. But amid loud applause, we got one more as the band finished in their normal formation for I Don’t Know How It Works. The Tubs headed off stage with one more show in their North American tour left, and we’ll watch for their return.