The Henry Clay People (with The Airborne Toxic Event) @ The Triple Rock Social Club (Minneapolis, MN) 02-27-09

The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis, MN 02-27-09

The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis, MN is a great venue. It has a fairly high proscenium stage with a pit sunk into floor and a second level, maybe three feet higher than the pit, behind with a railing. Like the Troubadour in Los Angeles, it has a bar in the venue and a bar in the front. They served food. The burger was fine. There was a Galaga machine but we had no time for challenges.

The front bar.

Here's a special that's "special" alright.

The house.

The Brothers Siara act like brothers.

Can you guess which beer belongs to which band?

During soundchecks I had a chance to catch-up with The Airborne Toxic Event. Their soundcheck was long because a number of songs had to be put in a lower key with added background vocals; Jollett has not reclaimed the full range of his voice just yet. But the band was warm and friendly (as they always are) and seemed to have a terrific attitude about Mikel Jollett's failing voice. They're happiest when they're playing and were thrilled to get back to work.

Despite the fact that Airborne took a long time to soundcheck there was plenty of time left for The Henry Clay People to perfect their own sound. I got tingles listening them run through "I Was Half Asleep". Even if soundchecks don't focus on the performance aspect, there is something special about being in a private audience of about two or three.

The Henry Clay People soundcheck.

Doors opened at 9pm. Good, decent Minneapolis people filed-in: thirty-something men and early twenty-somethings of both sexes, predominantly. The show sold-out and the house was packed by about 9:45pm.

Doors open.

The Henry Clay People stepped onto the stage without fanfare. They introduced themselves with a warm rendition of "Two By Two" and slid effortlessly into "The Good Ones". As they finished the song I spied a few beer cups raised into the air. "Taste of the Tasteless" sent heads bobbing and small pockets of patrons dancing, not three songs into a set played by a band they knew little about.

When Joey Siara told the crowd that this show was a Replacements pilgrimage for him, they were his to keep. Vociferous cheers -- no, battle cries -- erupted from all corners of the venue. For the rest of the set there was genuine cheering and applause after every song. Eyes squinted, mouths spread across faces upturned, and the necks and shoulders of most everyone in the pit shimmied and shook without awareness.

Of the handful of times I've seen the new lineup this was arguably the best-sounding set. Songs flowed into each other without seams and the four horsemen of the rockalypse played as one.

The finest moment was "Digital Kid". Revelatory. When Joey Siara looked to the crowd and asserted "You're going to save rock and roll tonight. So put your fists in the air for the Replacements and take back rock and roll!" an army's clenched fingers launched into the air without hesitation and a chorus of voices rose-up, chanting the battle cry "You can take it back... you can take it back. You can take it back..."

The Henry Clay People are the best band in LA. Obviously, His Bloggership can't be more than one place at once, but I have no doubt that on Friday, February 27th, 2009, The Henry Clay People were also the best band in Minneapolis.

After the set an Airborne Toxic Event who staked-out a front-and-center standing place requested Siara's guitar pick. Another fan asked for the entire band to sign her CD. I spoke with others who had checked-out the opening band on myspace and made sure to come early.

This was an unfamiliar crowd and The Henry Clay People earned their affection. No doubt, if these people had been familiar with the songs then The Henry Clay People would have also earned their love. If they can get their music out there to raise a battalion of Henry Clay Persons they will already have a small militia of fans in waiting, ready to sign-up and serve.

Set List:

Two By Two
The Good Ones
End of An Empire
Taste of the Tasteless
This Ain't a Scene
I Was Half-Asleep
Something in the Water
Digital Kid
Knowledge (Operation Ivy cover)
Classic Rock Medley
Working Part Time











Notes on The Airborne Toxic Event:

Before The Airborne Toxic Event played I talked to a fan named Doug. He's a premed student who drove all the way from Fargo to see them play. His brother, a soldier stationed in Hawaii, had initially turned him onto the band and when Doug saw them perform on David Letterman he decided he could not miss the show. He told me what all fans of The Airborne Toxic Event say: the band's ability to relate and remain personable with their fans is one of the biggest drawing points. Guitarist Steven Chen personally responded to an email Doug wrote and the gesture endeared them to him.

Early in the set Mikel Jollett seemed to struggle some with the key changes. Then he asked the crowd to help him sing, turning the weakness into a strength. He made the sold-out crowd his friends and all three-hundred of them were more than willing to help a friend in need. By the time they came out for the encore of "Does This Mean You're Moving On" and "Missy," the entire pit was in a fervor. Out of 12 or so Airborne shows it was the most animated I have ever seen the crowd.

One last thought: Their version of "Goodbye Horses" continues to melt me. I've contemplated a hunger strike until a studio recording is made.