Midwest Music Fest 2022
Review by: Sara Liebl, Writer/Photographer @lieblsara
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @PlaylistTC
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My Weekend at Midwest Music Fest
Midwest Music Fest (MWMF) is an organization that has been putting on two music festivals featuring regional Minnesota bands for the past 13 years. I attended the festival in Winona, MN, but if you couldn't make it out you still have time to get your tickets for their Lacrosse, WI installment in September!
"The mission of MWMF is to promote music and art in the region, creating opportunities for artists, stimulating downtown economic development, and providing diverse educational resources for artists, community members, and children." - Midwest Music Fest (About Us)
DAY ONE
After picking up my very first press pass, I started out the first day of MWMF catching Rochester based band, Local Sports at Ed's Noname Bar. This was my first time seeing them perform, and I'm very glad I chose to pop into their performance.
Local Sports is a three-piece high energy band that gives off some strong golden era pop punk vibes. Think Fall Out Boy pre Folie à Deux, but cooler.
About midway through their performance, the band announced that this would be their final performance. This news was met with supportive cheering from the crowd, while some expressed disappointment that they would not be seeing Local Sports again any time soon.
Local Sports performed an excellent final show, ending their time together on a positive note. Audience members joined in enthusiastically to sing along to the final number of their set. The band closed with some parting words before leaving the stage for their very last time, "See you in ten years when we do a reunion tour!"
After Local Sports, I walked to Island City Brewing to catch some good friends, Space Monkey Mafia. After not seeing them since the pandemic began, I was buzzing with excitement to see one of my favorite Twin Cities bands.
"What's up Winona? Who has seen us before?" shouted saxophonist and vocalist for the popular ska-punk band, Dante Leyva. He was greeted with raucous cheering as the crowd eagerly moved closer to the stage in anticipation of their set.
The rain certainly did not stop Space Monkey's fans from coming out in droves, many choosing to endure the cold spring rain as the crowd extended far beyond the rain tent, spilling over onto the uncovered patio. The moment the band broke into their popular song "You Don't Have to Go to Chicago," nearly the entire crowd began to dance along to the powerful opener, and they didn't stop until the performance was complete.
If there is anything Space Monkey Mafia has mastered, it's how to put on a Show (with a capital S.) From their first notes to the final chords of the evening, they delivered a consistently high energy performance, complete with coordinated head banging, jumping, and - of course - skanking. Space Monkey provided their fans with an air-tight set without sounding over-rehearsed.
Unfortunately, the final act I planned to see that evening, Gully Boys, had to cancel their performance. I closed out the night sipping on Island City Brewing's "Drop the Gloves" black IPA (highly recommend) and listening to the powerhouse that is Mae Simpson in the distance before heading back to Minneapolis to prepare for a jam-packed day two of Midwest Music Fest.
DAY TWO
Due to a second day of poor weather, Day 2 of Midwest Music Fest was moved entirely indoors. Festival goers seemed to be unfazed by the adjustments, armed with rain jackets, ponchos, and umbrellas in hand so they wouldn't miss the opportunity to see their favorite bands and discover new Minnesota musicians.
I started my day checking out the highly anticipated Maker's Market in the Winona County Historical Center. The market had a little something for everyone, from baseball caps to vintage clothing to crystals and stones. I, of course, folded instantly and purchased stones. To anyone who knows me personally that may be reading this, stop rolling your eyes.
After the Maker's Market, I popped over to Island City Brewing to catch part of Minneapolis band WHY NOT's set. While I wasn't able to stay for more than a few songs, I was very impressed by the trio's danceable music and fresh take on indie pop. I am looking forward to catching a full show from WHY NOT in the future.
Next up was Rochester band, Fires of Denmark at Blooming Grounds. While a coffee shop may not seem like the ideal space for experimental psychedelic rock, they commanded the room and put on an excellent performance (complete with costume changes), drawing quite the crowd within a few moments of starting their set.
Fires of Denmark's front person, Mike Terrill, came out with instant charisma. Every so often he would move into the crowd, raising the excitement level of the audience each time. Each member has a distinct role in the band that feels like it was made just for them, they are clearly seasoned professionals who are dedicated to delivering an intriguing and compelling performance.
The members of Fires of Denmark certainly don't shy away from their own little brand of weirdness, and it only elevates their performance. It was impossible to be bored listening to their eclectic synth parts (fondly known as beeps and boops), impeccable vocals, and even a keytar solo.
Following a short dinner break with some new friends, I made my way to Ed's to see bugsy, a band currently blowing up the Twin Cities music scene. This was my first time seeing them, and they definitely held up to what I imagined a performance of theirs would be like.
The bar was packed from wall to wall with folks excitedly bopping around to bugsy's catchy tunes. The band served their audience with an authentic and fun performance that was impossible to tear yourself away from. It was obvious from the start that this quartet has a great deal of chemistry and have a lot of fun making music together.
Their bassist and vocalist, Shannon Maroney, especially delivered a great performance. They had infectious energy that radiated positivity throughout the set. They danced, head banged, hair flipped, and interacted with their bandmates without missing a beat. Overall, it was an excellent show and I am looking forward to seeing what they accomplish next.
Then back to Island City Brewing I went to "settle in" for the rest of my evening. First up on the agenda was Papa Mybe. By the time I arrived, Papa Mybe was already up on stage playing their one of a kind experimental indie pop tunes with influences of hip-hop for a very enthusiastic crowd.
Papa definitely knows how to hype up a crowd. He kept the crowd engaged with natural charm and by interacting with his audience and bandmates. Toward the end of the set, he bridged the final gap between artist and fan by stage diving into the very excited crowd as strobe lights danced around the room, providing a very suitable and satisfying end to their set.
Graveyard Club
Finally, it was time for my most highly anticipated performance of the festival, Graveyard Club. As someone who sees them frequently pop up in their top Spotify Artists of the year, one could assume I'm a fan.
Graveyard Club never disappoints. Their live sound is up to, if not above, the caliber of their studio recordings, which is an impressive feat. The band performed a set of synth pop tunes, which mixed elements of 80's synth pop with the more modernized styles we hear being released today.
While every member of Graveyard Club is undeniably very talented, their vocals really stood out. Vocalist and synth player, Matthew, has a wide range that stretches all the way from a warm baritone to an impressively well controlled falsetto. Bass, vocalist, and synth player, Amanda, provided embellishments and harmonies in a beautiful pure tone that proves you don't need to belt through an entire set to be an impressive vocalist.
After a long day on my feet shooting bands, the night two headliner, POLIÇA, prepared to take the stage at Island City Brewing. You could feel the anticipatory energy radiating throughout the room as the audience continued to pour in. At one point, I heard a festival worker voice concerns that they may even reach capacity. When POLIÇA walked onstage, they were met with thunderous applause and the loudest cheers I heard the entire weekend. By the time they started playing, I was feeling the physical effects of scurrying around and kneeling on venue floors for two days (you should see my knees) and decided to hang back near the merchandise tables to soak in the final moments of the magic that was Midwest Music Fest 2022.
Thank you to the MWMF Staff, Dylan Hillicker (Executive Director), Nate Nelson and Maggie Panetta (Creative Directors), and Rosie Skipper (Social Media) for putting on such an incredible event and creating a fantastic environment for festival goers, despite having to make last minute adjustments due to less than ideal weather. Here's to next year!
You can check out music from the bands I reviewed on this playlist.
And the award goes to…
Best Beer - Island City Brewing Dark IPA
Best Coffee - Blooming Grounds Lavender Latte
Best "Townie" Bar - Fraternal Order of the Eagles (Fun fact - F.O.E. bars are non profit organizations, so you're basically drinking for charity!)
Best dressed - Sheila Terrill of Fires of Denmark for her ethereal white "Amish Pajama Dress". Honorary mention to Dante Leyva of Space Monkey Mafia for rocking jorts and pigtails onstage like a champ
Favorite Band I Saw For the First Time - bugsy
Favorite Band I Discovered - Local Sports (may they rest in peace)
Favorite Band I Shot - bugsy
Most Polished Performance - POLIÇA
Most Danceable Set - Space Monkey Mafia
Best Cover - "Dreams" by The Cranberries, performed by Graveyard Club
Best Stage Presence - Papa Mbye of Papa Mbye
Coolest Piece of Gear - Fires of Denmark's rotary phone turned microphone. Honorary mention to any band with a Prophet synth
Favorite Maker's Market Booth - “Rock On” by Tanya
