The Aces at the Fine Line (November 4, 2025)

It was a beautiful night. The kind of late night you hope to have in late September.  The kind of night you really appreciate in early November when walking through downtown Minneapolis on the way to a music venue. 

There was a line down the block when I arrived at the Fine Line, and it wasn’t moving.  For fifteen minutes I stood behind someone on crutches with a full leg brace, which made it the second show in a row where I stood next to some with the setup.  I took it as a sign to be more careful with the upcoming winter season as I appreciated the balmy weather where winter coats were not needed.  In fact, a young woman walked past me with just a pink sweatshirt brandishing two words:  DUMP HIM.

Heartache, breakups and dancing were the themes of the evening as Lydia Night took the stage for the all ages show.  For someone so young (24), she already has become a seasoned veteran.  She began performing at age two during soundchecks at her father’s nightclub in New Orleans.  She formed her first band LILA at age seven, becoming the youngest performer (twelve) to play at South by Southwest with her band Pretty Little Demons.  She is best known as being the front for the pop/punk band The Regrettes.  And after they folded in in 2023, she started over as a solo artist.  

Lydia is supporting her debut album Parody of Pleasure which is full-on pop.  She said it was her first show of the tour and she was a little nervous.  There were some ardent fans in the crowd to show support.  One of them was standing right next to me.  She jumped up and down the whole time while trying to film each and every song on her iPhone.  I thought future viewings may cause vertigo, but no matter. She was having a blast, shouting out lyrics to “The Hearse.”

Lydia sang “Art Sucks” from her new album before moving onto “You Sir” a song that would fit in with the sweatshirt I saw outside the venue.  Then, “The Bomb,” a song not as acerbic, which had the crowd jumping up and down.  

The Aces next took the stage and got off to a great start with “Jealous.”  They are supporting their new album, Gold Star Baby, and lead singer Cristal Ramirez said,  “…it was our danciest record we put out.”

Cristal was joined on stage by her sister, Alisa, on drums, and childhood friends, Katie Henderson on lead guitar and McKenna Petty on bass.  Like Lydia, The Aces formed their band at an early age.  They have a great origin story that can be summed up with this short video.

Like Lydia said before, Minneapolis was the kickoff to the Gold Star Baby Tour and The Aces did not show any pre-tour jitters.  In fact, there was a cool confidence in a band that has already played the Fine Line twice before.  Also, there is  a freshness or freeness in their latest album, which they described as “…a celebration of queerness and escapist, sapphic, disco-pop fun.”

Quite a bit was played from the new album until the band took a “coffee break.”  They took a vote to invite the best-dressed fan on stage to take a shot with them. Then they hit their stride with “Stroke” and “Fire in the Hole.”  And before playing “The Magic” Alisa took the mic to give detailed instructions to the crowd on audience participation. But instead of words or clapping, it was a kind of guttural utterance, which involved putting the hands in the air and thrusting them down with a “Haaaaaah Ooooomp!” 

Another “coffee break” was in order, but they called it “tea of the week,” which involved them chatting amongst themselves and then with someone in the crowd who announced she was pregnant with her third child.  Then, more dancing with a promise to come back again and continue the party.