Nur-D Setlist

Unannounced
Franklin Ave.
IDGAF
Big Boi
All My Friends Are So Hot
X-Man
You Suck (Be Better)
Windows Down
Mr. Officer
Rival Of The Moon
Collide
Purple In The Sky
Crush
Glorious

runo plum Setlist

Paper Doll
Capricorn
GTFO
Charlie
Skin
NKTB
grey eyes
never lie
directions

Agnes Uncaged Setlist

Paper Doll
Capricorn
GTFO
Charlie
Skin
NKTB
grey eyes
never lie
directions

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■ The Current
KCMP (89.3 FM, 89.3 the Current) is a radio station owned by Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) that broadcasts an adult album alternative (AAA) music format including a significant rotation of songs by local artists. Licensed to Northfield, Minnesota, and covering the Minneapolis-St. Paul market, the station’s studios are located at the MPR Broadcast Center on Cedar Street in downtown St. Paul

Early doors for a concert can mean a couple of things. The first means that it will be an early evening, whether that be a curfew for noise ordinance laws, there’s a later show in the building, or an all ages show attracting a younger audience. The second simple means it is going to be a looooong night. Showing up to Amsterdam Bar & Hall in St. Paul for The Current Presents…Minnesota Music Month had a schedule on the door that revealed it was very much going to be the latter, as several artists who were called special guests in fact had their own full sets. Recalibrating my mindset to marathon mode, I made my way in for the six different artists and bands to get underway.

We started with Mack Wilson introducing a group of performers from the High School for Recording Arts. A trio hip hop group had some good musical backing loops, with both some rap and sung vocals. With two members heading off stage, the solo song Industry Plan was an unreleased number and the higher toned flow was a good complement to the bass heavy looped music. A change of performer had Ani with a well sung R&B style number and excellent vocals. One of our trio came back to stage for Moment, and his well sung tenor rode the genre line of R&B and hip hop very well. The last member of the trio (I believe it was Pablo) had the final song and while he had rapped on the trio, was singing on his own. A nice highlight of a local arts school was an appropriate way to kick off the event.

Performers from High School for Recording Arts

As we just saw Agnes Uncaged yesterday at the Minnesota Music Archive Launch Party, you can read that review as the set list was identical across these two nights. I loved the transition between Paper Doll and capricorn, with the band driving the noisy guitars across the two songs in an effort and effective way. That next number roquentin is one of my favorites of the band and they crushed it here in the best possible way, with Eubanks shooting on frame with her vocals and the closing guitar solo pretty much off the charts. The larger Amsterdam space let the band play up the volume and that was in their favor. Agnes Uncaged was thriving and the ramped volume in both vocals and guitar work was great and that drum work was the through line for a late set number. I loved the way never lie came off as Agnes Uncaged headed towards their noisy close.

Special guest Jeremy Messersmith played “the shortest set of my career”, as he came to stage solo with guitar. Spiral Bound kicked off his four songs and was a witty take on catastrophizing. Boomers had the humor and good vocals, while Stallions was an uplifting number and Messersmith had done a nice balance of moods within this quick hit set. Finishing with F**k This was the capstone you would hope and the crowd was explosive in its applause as Messersmith headed off stage. I spoke with Messersmith after his set and asked how he decided to make the move into a more activist artistry and his answer was compelling. With what was (and continues to be) going on, how could he not? As he watched neighbors and friends lean into organizing and helping their community and neighbors, the easy part was to cast his art towards supporting the movement. The finality of his answer showed how simple the moment is: what’s right is right and what else can you do?

Up next was runo plum. The quartet (vocals/guitar, guitar, bass, and drums) had a Mazzy Star vibe, and were completely entrancing. Silences was pure indie rock and those back up vocals from the bassist were phenomenal. A bit of fuzzy guitar work carried the end of the song and runo plum had an Americana sound not far from a rock version of Waxahatchee. (Side note: I’ve mentioned it before, but I love band members, in this case the drummer, singing along with the lyrics without a microphone anywhere near them.) The song Butterflies was pure indie rock and runo plum’s vocals were strong but vulnerable and that hits a sweet spot for this genre. This was a very specific dreamy vibe and was so very good at it, although individual lyrics were a bit difficult to make out at times. I liked a late set moment where lead vocalist and guitarist played against each other on Elephant. Closing on Be Gentle With Me, runo plum had scored an easy going indie sound that still kept the momentum moving forward.

The Singing Resistance Twin Cities Choir came up, stating “we are not a choir, we are a movement”. With nearly 15 performers, the first number hit the “we are many, we are one, we won’t stop fighting ‘til ICE is gone/‘til love has won”. The group is actively fighting and was looking to enroll new members in its efforts to fight ICE and support the community. The relatively brief set did the job of highlighting how much work remains for the Twin Cities’ community and also pointing people towards manageable actions they can take to help.

Our headliner, Nur-D, was up to end the evening. Performance name for Matt Allen, he’s known for his positive, fun-loving songs, but he’s also played the activist artist both after the murder of George Floyd and more recently with the disgusting ICE activities in the Twin Cities. He was assaulted by federal agents and arrested as part of a peaceful demonstration and yet he continues to bring that pure joy to his music and tonight was no exception. He has a fairly extensive set of music, with 2025’s Chunkadelic the most recent. Nine members on the stage (vocals, two sax, trumpet, guitar, bass, keyboards, electronic music/discs, and drums) took up the whole space in the best possible way. Frankiin Ave. was solid and had the band well warmed up. Big Boi came from Durry and was a delight and Nur-D’s charisma and positivity were infectious. All My Friends Are So Hot was absolutely fire with Nur-D’s vocals, the brass flying, and keyboards completely supporting the number. This was simply the best of the joyous vibes and Nur-D was in complete control whether singing or rapping in X-Man, with Alice getting a brilliant guitar solo as the first of most members getting their turn in the spotlight. The moment of the current political administration was hit with the song You Suck, Do Better, and sometimes simpler is better. The sax solo on that number was a great way to close out and Nur-D headed into the audience participation section of the evening. Mr. Officer was the 2020 era song that still carries way too much resonance today and Nur-D hit “activist” label simply for reporting things as they are. And the energy on these songs was so peak, the audience was completely enthralled. Purple In the Sky was a snappy rap number, and the atmosphere was electric. That mix of calling out things as they are combined with the joy of the moment and a hope for the future encapsulated the evening and the state of things in Minnesota. It couldn’t have been a better kickoff to the Minnesota Music Month.