A Longtime Fan's Honest Take on ROLE MODEL’s Minneapolis Show
Friday night, I went to see ROLE MODEL at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His Minneapolis stop is part of the North American leg of his tour supporting his latest album, Chuck Timely & The Hourglass. Opening for him was California singer-songwriter Samia.
This was my fifth time seeing Tucker (ROLE MODEL), and as a longtime fan who's been listening to him since long before he "blew up," I was excited. That said, my expectations weren't incredibly high. The show was sold out, and I knew from experience that I would likely end up toward the back of the crowd. Normally that wouldn't bother me, but The Armory is huge, and if you're standing near the back, it's very difficult to see the stage. I assumed there would be screens, video projections, or some sort of B-stage to help with visibility, but unfortunately there weren't.
Samia had a beautiful opening set. She's insanely talented, has great comedic timing, and an incredible voice. Hearing her viral song "Pool" live was a highlight, and she's definitely an artist I'll be keeping an eye on moving forward.
Tucker's set began promptly at 9 p.m. with "Chuck's Mantra" before he launched into "High Hopes 3000." It was a strong start, but pretty quickly I realized there were no screens or projections of any kind. As someone who's 5'1", that meant I genuinely barely saw him during the entire 90-minute show. Despite that, he sounded fantastic. His live vocals have improved tremendously over the years, and that was easily one of the night's strongest points.
Photos by Dillon Matthew
What surprised me most was how underwhelming the production felt. Maybe I'm being a little harsh because I had just seen Phoebe Bridgers the night before, whose production was phenomenal, but I expected more from an artist performing in venues this size. The lighting walls behind him had some cool moments, but overall there wasn't much visually that grabbed me. He had a live band, but there were no notable stage elements, props, or creative production choices that made the show feel bigger than it was. It just felt like something was missing.
I also noticed Tucker talked much less than he had at previous shows I've attended. He's known for being funny and charismatic, so that felt like a missing element as well. Maybe my experience would've been different if I'd been closer to the stage, but from where I was standing, there really weren't any standout moments. Of course, artists are going to have bad days, and that’s totally understandable if that’s the case.
One thing that genuinely disappointed me was the setlist. As a fan who's been listening for about seven years, I would've loved to hear at least one song from his 2020 EP, our little angel, or his first album, Rx. Instead, the set focused entirely on material from the last couple of years. I understand not every artist wants to revisit older songs, but it would've been nice to get at least one nostalgic moment for longtime fans.
That said, I loved hearing songs like "Some Protector," "Sally, When the Wine Runs Out," and "The Longest Goodbye" live. Would I recommend spending over $100 to see this show? Honestly, no. And that's coming from a loyal fan.
Still, there was a moment during the show when I looked around and thought, wow, I'm really proud of him. Seeing him sell out The Armory after watching him play at a half-filled Amsterdam Bar & Hall years ago was genuinely special. I'll probably continue seeing him because there's something beautiful about watching an artist grow. I'm just hoping that next time the production feels a little bigger, a little more creative, and a little more worthy of the venues he's now filling.
Photos by Dillon Matthew
