WILLIS, The Braymores, and The Flooks Put On a Unique Show at the Fine Line
On Thursday, I headed down to the North Loop to catch the band Willis on their North American Locals Only Tour at the Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis. The tour's name is a play on the band's previous EPs, Locals 2 and Locals 4. Opening the night were The Flooks, followed by The Braymores.
Have you ever wanted to see a band perform with brown paper bags over their heads? Well, fear not, because The Flooks have got you covered. The trio wore brown paper bags with eye and mouth holes cut out so they could, of course, see and sing. If you were wondering if the bags are just a bit and they take them off at some point during their set, you’d be wrong. They are loyal to their brown paper bags. I'll give them points for creativity and passion. While their music wasn't really for me, I can definitely understand the appeal and why others might enjoy it.
Shortly after The Flooks wrapped up their set, The Braymores took the stage. The Chicago-based band plays what I'd describe as alternative pop-rock. While I enjoyed their music and could see myself listening to it in the future, the lead singer's vocal style wasn't my favorite. I can appreciate the technique and talent behind it, but I've never been much of a fan of screamo-style vocals.
That said, both opening acts did a great job warming up the room. I also have to mention that this was the emptiest show I've ever attended at the Fine Line. Even so, both bands handled the smaller crowd well and worked with what they had.
Of course, when Willis finally took the stage, the room came alive, and the crowd was ready to sing along. The five-piece band, made up of Nashville natives, has crafted a really lovely, soft indie-rock sound. They opened their set with "IDW2" from their album I Can't Thank You Enough. Shortly after, they played "Fight the Vegans," which is my personal favorite song of theirs.
Towards the end of their set, they played their biggest hit, "I Think I Like When It Rains," which went viral on social media a few years ago. It's always fun to experience a song like that live when the entire crowd knows every word.
There are plenty of bands I really love but wouldn't necessarily spend money to see in concert. Unfortunately, I think Willis falls into that category for me. They sounded great live and had some enjoyable comedic banter between songs, but overall, there wasn't anything that made me go, "wow," or left a lasting impression. I still love their music and hope they continue releasing new material, but would I tell you to spend your money to see them live? Maybe not.
