anni xo at 7th St Entry (Dec 18, 2025)

It was my last show to cover for the year, and of course there was a blizzard with all the ice, wind and blowing snow that comes with it. People definitely weren’t easing down the road on their way to The Wiz at the Orpheum. The marquee at the Pantages urged: STAYIN’ ALIVE. Even the staff at First Ave remained inside to check ID’s. But once inside the 7th Street Entry, it was worth the hassle to hear four local bands ring out the year.

IAMJOY opened with Rosie Castano saying she was happy to be there. She said that she was excited for a new sound system was just installed in the venue.

Backed by her band, Rosie played songs from her 2024 SYRINGA like “Lilac Season”, “Lyndale” and a highlight “It’s a beautiful thing to be known.” Her band played with a mellow, laidback vibe while her voice took center stage. For some of the songs she switched to autotune, but I really didn’t see the need with such a nice voice.

Rosie finished her set with a song released this week, “Gift Horse,” a breakup song that will be on her next album to be released next spring.

Squinny next took the stage. We last saw them in August at the Lake Harriet Bandshell opening up for Creeping Charlie. Their fuzzed-out, psychedelic guitars and synths did not accompany them to the 7th Street Entry. I can’t say they completely revamped their sound, but Jonah Lyddon Hatten on guitar, Asa Lyddon Hatten on keys/guitar, and the always smiling Nate LeBrun on drums had Toby Martin on a cello, which was not the case at the Lake Harriet Bandshell.

Just the very nature of having a classical instrument underlying the songs lowered the noise and volume. I liked the approach. Maybe it was their original goal, and it took a blizzard and a cozy venue to fully appreciate a great song like “All My Life” with its 70’s west coast feel.

Keep for Cheap was up next. They are an indie country rock band that calls their sound “prairie rock.” They are Autumn Vagel on lead vocals and guitar, Kate Malanaphy on bass, Lydia Williams on drums, and Ted Tiedemann and Bert Northrup on guitar.

In an interview with The Current Kate mentioned, “I would honestly love to play in a basement again. I love playing in basements more than [in] actual venues. I miss the feeling of like just being crammed with a bunch of really cool people.”

Well, 7th Street Entry was the perfect venue for the sentiment. The room was filled with people that seemed to know all the bands. When Autumn started singing during sound check, the whole room joined in. Then the band started for real with “Aside” from their debut Bundle. They also played from their sophomore Big Grass with songs like “Lakehouse” and “Ski-Doo.”

By the time anni xo took the stage, the room was at capacity and full of love for the headliner.

We last saw anni xo Aug, 2024 opening for Ber at the Lake Harriet Bandshell for the Star Tribune’s Music & Movies series, writing, “With their laidback sound and easy voice, anni had quite a fervent group of children dancing in front of the stage.”

The room at 7th Street Entry was no less fervent. No one rushed the stage like a few young kids did at the Lake Harriet Bandshell, but there was a lot of people shouting, “I love you!” from the crowd.

anni was joined on stage with Maddie Thies on bass (any pronouns), Aurelio Sandoval (he/him) on drums, Riley Jacobson Pogatshnik (he/him)on guitar and Hunter SinClair Hawtorne (he/him) on keys, dancing and all-around fun times.

anni kept looking over to Hunter between songs and eventually confessed to the audience that they hates tuning guitars and has an onstage bet with Hunter as to who can finish first: Anni tuning her guitar or Hunter chugging a beer.

Game on. And after a few stops and starts, the duel ended in a tie per Sam, a fan watching from the front row.

anni xo has had quite the busy December, releasing the EP what’s become of us and LP SOMETHING PROFOUND. They played songs from both with “Bedside Light” from the EP and “Daydream” and “Sentimental” from the LP. And like the previous bands, Anni xo’s set was far too brief, but they finished with a song that had members of anni’s fan club raising cue cards for the audience to sing along to “Asshole.”