Gravy Fest 2: A Feast Of Fun At The Armory
The day before Thanksgiving. That’s quite a wild day. But the night before Thanksgiving? Now that’s something else entirely.
Rochester, Minnesota’s golden boy Yung Gravy would of course be in his home state for Turkey Day. Not a rapper to skimp on the fun and someone who loves local musicians, wasn’t surprised that a part due was due for this year. Gravy Fest 2 was here.
Lots of people already downtown a half hour or so before doors when I got to Minneapolis. The Armory already had a long snaking line of excited fans, some I had heard were waiting for TWO HOURS before doors. That’s some dedication. Especially when it is 20 degrees out and you are in a hoodie or skirt. Happily I brought a light jacket, even the five minutes walking to the entrance gave me quite an arctic blast. Not used to the blustery winter winds just yet. The seven summers we have gotten this year in Minnesota have made it hard even for this outside-loving gal to become acclimated.
DJ Tiiiiiiiiip was ringmaster and main MC for the show. And yes, with 9 “i”s. I did have to look it up. You can tell he is a promoter, the swag and command of the crowd was effortless. With plenty of Minnesota inside jokes and references, complete with Menards jingle sing along, the mood was light and fun. Rap can get a bit serious, as most music can, but seems like the overwhelming theme of the night was just have a good fricken time. The crowd was loving it, and eagerly awaited the Zebra cake offerings being chucked into the audience.
Melly Mike was the first rapper to take the stage. Citing that he has been Yung Gravy’s friend since childhood, that qualification was nice but not needed. He will soon be the headliner of his own large venue soon, I suspect. Having the finesse of a much more seasoned performer, made sure to take time at each part of the stage. Though new, the participation and energy exchange was electric between musician and patron. Short but sweet set, but there were a ton of people set for the stage.
Next up was Arizona-born Pertinence who brought the heat to the stage. Flying around the stage, his feet barely touched the ground for a millisecond. Wearing my typical goth tuxedo aka all black all the time, I could take a much needed fashion lesson from these cool guys. Street style mixed with gen z flair was the vibe for all the cool kids on stage. As the night sped on, slowly more and more friends and family appeared on stage to take photos and film. Makes sense. It’s the day before Thanksgiving, lets givbe up the strict reigns for a bit. Seeing everyone giggling and dancing was the extra cherry on top for completing the festive mood.
Florida fellow 1900 Rugrat was a treat to watch. Having a jester hat made the silhouette that much more delightful. He was so energetic, like everyone else at Gravy Fest. Something was in the water, or maybe the first few drinks or smokes finally kicked in by that time of the night. The wave of movement in the crowd was infectious. I thought this event would have primarily…well….only youths. Was great to see fellow olds aka people over 30 hanging out alongside the concert kids. Lots of people with fresh merch, pretty bummed I didn’t snap up a shirt to commemorate the true all-ages occasion.
Pouya dripped onto the stage. Very calm and cool at first, then spiced it up. Self deprecating jokes and remarks are par for the course for artist, gotta have some humble with all that pie. Pouya laid it on a bit thick in parts, making me want to shake him a bit. “Nobody knows me” and “no one cares where I am from” were two of the sad refrains mentions between sick ass rhymes and signing albums from dedicated fans. After seeing the sea of humans adorned with Pouya merch from tours of yesteryear, I hope he knows people were there for him, too. Even if it was a midwestern lovefest, plenty of great talent gets its foothold in the music scene here in the Twin Cities. Pouya is one of those must-see acts when in town. Hope he knows it. If not, make sure you tell him. So many young people were glowing while he performed, reciting every word in time.
Time for some more flavor from DJ Tiiiiiiiiip before the long awaited Yung Gravy took the stage. Playing a smattering of olides, new-ies, emo, and dad rock, the temperture was adjusted to the audience very artfully. Knowing that rap shows tend to be a touch late, great to have some familiar music to jam out to. Only running about a half hour tardy, heard the familiar hook of “Mr. Sandman” to “Mr. Clean” come on to announce the headliner’s time has come.
A dash of camp, a heavy spoonful of wit, and plenty of sexy; Yung Gravy is such a fun guy. Maybe I am slightly biased because I’m a sucker for a tall drink of water with a deep sultry voice, but even if he rapped in a paper bag I’d be down. Starting out in a fur coat, Gravy had to peel that off quick due to it being quite tropical by this point in the venue. Lots of excited bodies make for a sweaty night. Made a few escapes between acts to take a breather outside. Armory is one of the venues in Minneapolis with not one but two outdoor patios to take an outdoor break. After asking the crowd to “play nice,” a plushie was hoisted into the audience for us to play with beachball style. Seeing it bob around during the alphabet song, made its way to plenty of fans before coming home to roost back with is papa, Yung Gravy.
Hard to pick a favorite of his songs, but hearing “1 Thot 2 Thot Red Thot Blue Thot” was excellent. You can’t not smile while listening to his music. And live is even better. Making sure to thank not only the venue and crowd repeatedly, but his fellow musicians for coming out to MN the day before Thanksgiving seemed genuine and heartfelt. I really hope Gravy Fest becomes an annual tradition for Yung Gravy. I’m already hungry for more.
