Monique Smaz Setlist

Holy Smokes
Know Me Better
Just Like Johnny
Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash cover)
Fair Weather Cowboy
Missin You
Girl Goin’ Nowhere (Ashley McBryde cover)
I Want a Weekend
Look That Way
My Church
Let Me In
What’s Up

Russ Parrish Setlist

Ready for Anything
Evelyn
Coast of Carolina
Ice Cold Beer
Why Don’t We Dance
Make Your Move
Washed by the Water

Russ Parrish Setlist

Next Big Thing
Devil Don’t Wanna Back Down
Crossroads
Hurricane
Better Off
~~Blackout Billy~~ (Not Played)
Must Be the Whiskey
~~Trying (Extra)~~ (Not Played)

It was an evening of local-ish and former local Twin Cities Americana as Monique Smaz & The Outlaws were headlining a four band line up at Turf Club in Saint Paul. As the evening got started, emcee Paul “PT” Thomas from country radio station 102.9 The Wolf, made the introductions for the night and also talked about the LIVIN Foundation, a Minnesota-based mental health organization Thomas was highlighting.

Zach Thomas was first up and the Fargo, North Dakota artist has a 2022 EP Better Off. The quintet (vocals/guitar, guitar, guitar, bass, and drums) had a darker blues-infused country sound. Devil Don’t Wanna Back Down let Thomas nearly growl on his lyrics and we had an early intro of the band. There’s a version of country music that is deeply embedded and in debt to its blues neighbors, and this was well in that lane. A slightly slower song in Hurricane let Thomas really lean in on the smoky vocals and backing guitar work with multiple harmonies really took off. The big player, Better Off, had a pure rock intro before those country sounding vocals came in. Cutting a song or two out to finish on time, Must Be the Whiskey was a great run with those triple harmonies and a strong outstanding end to the set. A brief chat with Thomas afterwards confirmed a love for the blues and that it absolutely had a central place in his music.

Next was Russ Parrish & The Lone Oaks. Their opener, Ready for Anything, was flying and the quintet (vocals/guitar, guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums) was highly energetic. Parrish may have been the spark, but the band leaned in the best possible way. When the second song, Evelyn, turned for a section of You Are My Sunshine, it was a delight. Talking about how the Nashville native ended up in Minnesota (“I took a wrong turn back in 2016 and stayed”) was a great connector to the crowd and the band kept moving thins along. Ice Cold Beer felt like a required number for the set and was a fun party song. These were singable numbers even if it was the first time you had heard them. A Chris Stapleton cover of Tennessee Whiskey had Parrish in near gospel vocal mode and the band having a blast. Make Your Move was back to the originals and had a more earthy vocal styling from Parrish and included a band intro which did prove out that the bass player was Sam Licari, who we saw leading a band and opening for Dead Larry in June 2025. Washed by the Water let Russ Parrish & The Lone Oaks end on a gospel-like country song (with Parrish off the stage and up on the bar) and was definitely a high note.

Headliner Monique Smaz & The Outlaws came to stage and it was another quintet (vocals/guitar, guitar, guitar, bass, and drums). Smaz is a Saint Paul native who recently relocated to Nashville, but still has strong ties to Minnesota. Holy Smokes was a brilliant number, and let Smaz go off on vocals and guitarist Nate Walker (that guy is everywhere!) lean the sound or towards rock. And this really was an interesting mix of Americana/country versus some more roc sounding numbers, which made Smaz and band have a broader interest. Just Like Johnny was the famous number and had Smaz and the band crushing the guitar work. A cover of Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues was a great fit for the band and had the audience dancing along. Getting the rest of the band off stage, Smaz played a couple numbers solo, and Girl Goin’ Nowhere was a nice cover of Ashley McBryde and fit that single singer on stage vibe. The band was back for I Want a Weekend and it had a solid rock country vibe. After the band intro, Monique Smaz & The Outlaws closed on What’s Up getting the crowd moving for the big finish.