By: Jon Behm
 |
| Coach Said Not To - Photo by Jon Behm |
I have been meaning to check out one of the Twin Cities’ most applauded local bands, Coach Said Not To, for something like two years now. As a testament to how close to the cutting edge of today’s music I am, their debut album was picked up by the Minnesota Public Library before I got around to getting it. Luckily I have come around, and finally managed to see them recently on a beautiful summer night on the patio of the Minnesota Museum of American Art.
Local up and comers The Small Cities opened the show, playing a pretty straightforward brand of pop rock. While there was nothing groundbreaking about their style, the Cities played some pretty enjoyable tunes. Their Myspace page lists The Small Cities’ influences as “pretty much just Motorhead,” which is hilarious, as Lemmy could probably devour this band faster than a stack of pancakes (I know this having seen Lemmy eat at a Perkins in Clinton, Iowa once). I think (and hope) that they meant this to be tongue in cheek.
Their emotional vocals seemed more reminiscent of guys like Rivers Cuomo or AC Newman than the thrash metal giants out there. I was particularly impressed with the drummer, David Osborn, who seemed to be managing some pretty complex percussion arrangements in addition to vocals. Endearing too was lead singer Jimmy Osterholt’s sheepish shout out to his mother in the audience. I think that The Small Cities definitely have a bright future ahead of them here in the Twin Cities and probably other “Large Cities” as well (pause for laughter).
With a backdrop of the rising full moon, Coach Said Not To took the stage after setting up all of their own equipment (aspiring roadies take note). The cool summer dusk was the perfect accompaniment to their both sweet and rockin’ songs, and the crowd was mellow and appreciative.
CSNT is a female quartet, headed by sisters Eva and Linnea Mohn. Both sisters possess a striking natural beauty, which is eclipsed only by their enchanting voices. While Linnea seems a bit more shy, with her bangs generally covering her face, Eva is comfortable as the frontwoman. Of slight frame, she could fool you into thinking that she is delicate. I think she has a touch of Patti Smith in her though, as she can surprise at times with vocals that are far from timid. She also knows how to bend an axe to her will, and has a definite swagger in her playing. The stoic Violet Lee also contributes to the bands’ signature melodic shifts on keyboard, and Annika Johnson rounds out the group on drums.
The evenings’ music was characterized by unusual tempos, shifts in rhythm, and unpredictable lyrics. The sound was hard to categorize but seems to draw on many different influences, from rock and roll to classical. Both the song lyrics and the band’s frequent banter were punctuated by wry ironic remarks that make CSNT’s sense of humor as much a part of the show as the music. This can backfire though, and on this night Eva nearly lost a perfectly good bike safety light for a buck by holding it up for mock auction.
My favorite tunes from the show were “Unlikely Architect,” and “21st to the First,” but the highlight of the night was the incredible “Any Yet Still,” which is one of the few songs on which Linnea sings lead. This is a powerfully emotional song, though the band lightened the mood a bit by comparing the song’s melody to one from the Neverending Story, which got a few laughs.
Overall the night was a pretty lovely one. The music was sweet, the atmosphere cool and wholesome. Even the beer, catered by Great Waters Brewery, seemed to carry the taste of the quintessential outdoor summer show. The cherry on the cake was the MMAA’s “secret bathroom,” (pointed out to me by a security guard) that allowed me to bypass the whole line of uninformed guys waiting to pee. Yes, last night this reporter couldn’t have been any happier.
Location Info:
Minnesota Museum of American Art
Artist Info: Coach Said Not To, The Small Cities
Share this story:
Article comments powered by Disqus