Modern Day Megastar: Yungblud Sells Out Armory And Brings Something For Everyone
It all started with a poster. This poster, to be specific:
It was in 2018, and I had never heard of Yungblud before, but I knew, based on that poster, that it was a show I could not miss. From what I remember, there weren't that many people in attendance at the show at the intimate 7th Street Entry, but I remember being absolutely blown away. It wasn't just the music; it was the show. Dominic (aka Yungblud) showed up in a wheelchair due to a busted leg, but he didn't let it hold him back. I was enamored, addicted, in love, and, since that fateful night in 2018, I've seen Yungblud turn into a true superstar. Honestly, it's things like this that keep me going back to random shows night after night. Sure, there were thousands of people at Yungblud's show on Saturday night at the sold-out Armory in Minneapolis, and it was a great night for all, but I was part of a small handful of people who could look back at that Wednesday night in 2018 and remember when this kid was on his come-up. Honestly, it hit me with so much emotion and felt a bit like a full-circle moment to be able to witness Yungblud's magic in such a large and warranted venue while reminiscing when he came off like just a punk kid who was fighting like hell to get to the top.
Before I tell you about Yungblud's truly amazing performance on Saturday night, let's talk about the opening act, Return To Dust. It didn't take me long into Return to Dust's set to remember that I had recently seen this band open up for Billy Corgan last summer. Their distinct and perfect grunge sound hit me, and I knew, based on the uniqueness and flawlessness, exactly who this was. Formed in 2022, Return to Dust has been out there and grinding with their slightly nostalgic but also very fresh grunge sound. Think Alice in Chains meets Pearl Jam with a little flair for the dramatic in the vein of Greta Van Fleet. I'm sure there are people out there who attribute the fact that drummer London Hudson has a very famous dad in the scene to being on this tour, but, truthfully, just being Slash from Guns N ' Roses' son doesn't give you the talent that this band has. The last time I saw them was at the much more intimate Varsity Theater in Minneapolis. I won't say that I was worried that their sound wasn't going to translate to such a big venue like The Armory, but I was floored by just how well it translated. Their larger-than-life sound felt even larger than larger-than-life somehow. The drums had the perfect amount of echo to them, while the vocals had the perfect amount of grit needed to perfectly fill every nook and cranny of the venue. From their grungy originals to their grunge-inspired and super unique cover of "Hey Ya!" from Outkast, Return to Dust not only proved that they were more than worthy of the opening slot on the highly anticipated show, but they also proved that they are not going anywhere. I think it's just a matter of time before they are headlining shows on this side of their own, and, like Yungblud, I can't wait to reminisce about how I saw this band on their come-up.
Okay, now let's talk about Yungblud. To say this show was highly anticipated would be an understatement. I'm not only saying that because this show has been sold out for months, but also because of the excitement that could be felt everywhere within about a two-block radius of the venue. It started with the long lines that were moving at a snail's pace to get into the venue. From people who had dressed to the nines in their sparkliest black dresses to those who were clearly ready to rock out in the audience, everyone had a smile on their face, even though they had been standing in a line for what had to have felt like forever. The demographic was all over the place. You had people my age who seemed to be there for the music, moms from the suburbs who had clearly only ever seen a photo of Yungblud, and then you had a younger generation who had clearly connected with the words and sound of this young musician. Okay, I'm absolutely stereotyping and assuming a little bit here, but it was kind of wild to see the range of ages and kinds of people at this show. What does this tell me? That Yungblud has no demographic. I often see articles asking what happened to the rockstar kind of persona. The people who wrote those articles have clearly never been to a Yungblud show because I have to imagine that this felt a bit like what seeing Elvis may have felt like back in the day. Hordes of shrieking people just praying for a chance to catch this megastar's eyes or heart.
Yungblud's set on Saturday night somehow felt like not enough and also more than enough all at the same time. There were only fourteen songs on the set list, and none of them reached back into my favorite era of this musician (the first two albums that had a bit more of a lost-soul kind of punk energy to them). That being said, the curation of his set list on Saturday was perfect. From opening with the epic, nine-minute opening track of his new album 'Idols', "Hello Heaven, Hello," to treating the audience to his flawless cover of Black Sabbath's "Changes" and closing with "Suburban Requiem," I feel like you really got to see all of the different sides of this musician. You saw his punk come-up when he played "The Funeral" from his self-titled album, but also saw how refined and mature he has become over the years with songs like "Zombie." Regardless of what era or style of song was being performed, Yungblud and his band were giving it their all and played every song and every note like it was the last one they may ever play.
Whether you got lost in the punk energy of Yungblud that reigns true throughout everything he does, or you got lost in the more sensitive side of this man and the way he can pull an insane amount of emotion out of your heart with just a few words. Whether you were at this show because you saw a picture of Yungblud and just couldn't resist seeing this heartthrob live, or you have been following this musician since his start back in 2015. No matter why you were at this show or how you got to the show, there's no denying that this was a show you will not soon forget. It was full of life, full of love, and full of charm. Although I will always prefer a small and intimate show to something as large and chaotic as this one, there was something beautifully electrifying about everything that happened on Saturday night, and I just truly can not wait to see what comes next for this young megastar.
