Minneapolis embraces Trampled by Turtles
In the past it wasn’t so difficult to get Trampled by Turtles tickets at First Avenue. But now the band’s popularity has spilled over into all the creeks of Minnesota, leaving many who waited too long out in the cold this time around. The band sold out night one of their two night run several weeks in advance, and night two was soon to follow. Minneapolis’ love for the band should not be surprising as the band’s tunes are a mainstay on the wonderful indie radio station 89.3 The Current. And even more so, many of us fans from the beginning have helped spread the band’s cheer far and wide to everyone we know.
On Saturday, January 15th, 2011, I attended night two of their two-night First Avenue run. Since the super successful release of Palomino last April at First Avenue (debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Bluegrass chart), the band has toured all across the US including making their first trip to Alaska. Thankfully we in Minnesota never have to wait so long for the band to return back to their roots.
Local ace-guitarist Erik Koskinen and his band opened the show with a bluesy country-rocking set of originals. They were very good. Several of the band members make up Dave Simonett’s side project, Dead Man Winter, and towards the end of their set Simonett joined them onstage for a tune, along with fellow Trampled by Turtles members Tim Sauxhaug and Ryan Young. Then it was time to get Trampled.
No longer fastened to the chairs that were for so long a staple of their shows, Trampled by Turtles took the stage to a packed house of raucous yet respectful fans. The band ripped through songs from their entire catalog while throwing in several covers including an encore of “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” by fellow-Minnesotan, Bob Dylan.
The songs from their 2010 release, Palomino, now sound like they truly belong. Whether talking about the beautiful “Victory”, the punk driven “It’s a War”, or the wonderfully harmonica infused “Bloodshot Eyes” which they played in their encore, all of the tunes from the new record stood out over their previous works. Perhaps the band has more energy for these new songs, or maybe my ears were just happy to hear something different, but the tunes from Palomino were exceptional and the crowd ate them up. Over and over during the night, singer & guitarist, Dave Simonett, graciously thanked the crowd for filling the venue two nights in a row and the crowd made it obvious that many were there for both shows.
If you’re a fan of music and have not yet heard this band, or have simply dismissed them, I encourage you to give them a shot. The folk-fueled alternative bluegrass they create is something special. Dave Simonett has distinguished himself as one of the best songwriters in all of Minnesota, and that is ever so obvious on Palomino. Their 2007 album Trouble is also a terrific place to start. Trampled by Turtles have always put on a great live show, but now these shows are not to be missed. With the addition of Ryan Young on fiddle a few years ago, and the maturation of Simonett’s songwriting, the band is starting to stand out on a national level. This year they will be playing all across the country once again including their first appearance at Telluride Bluegrass Festival and the massive Coachella Music Festival. Go see them and buy your tickets early!
Check out the “Wait So Long” video.
