The Pride celebrations continued to Monday night for Queer Pop Night at The Entry with a stacked lineup featuring touring bands Adult Mom and Free Cake For Every Creature and local loves 4th Curtis and Strange Relations. I was so excited to see one of my top three favorite local bands, 4th Curtis, play with Adult Mom, a band who has come to mean so much to me within this past year. I went by myself, I enjoyed every second by myself, and I felt so much love for myself. I want to relive this show every night of my lives.

The 4th Curtis babes took the stage and immediately gained full interest from the half-filled Entry with their indie pop tunes. Lex started my favorite of theirs, “Anjali,” with a “1,2,3, fuck you!” Maddie told the audience that “Come Out” was about Father’s Day, and Ty lead the band in their cover of “Pillow Talk.” Much love for ya’ll.

Strange Relations were up next, and while I recognized having seen them play before, I had no idea they were label mates with Adult Mom (or that Casey and Maro were in a band in college with Michelle from Japanese Breakfast)! With just bass, drums, and vocals to kill, they blew me away like never before. We were told that they’ve never played a set like this before and it kind of reminded me of like a weird mix of Skating Polly, Mazzy Star, and PJ Harvey. My favorite song was mid-set with the lyrics “death to the golden boy.”

I so wish I had gotten way more into Free Cake For Every Creature before seeing them because they were so good and beautiful and now I can’t stop listening to them. Free Cake began quietly and humbly, drawing the audience in for a little more intimate feel. This was the Philadelphia-based band’s first time in Minnesota and they chatted a bit between songs about having visited the MOA and the crowd sent mixed reviews of approval and disapproval. Mega Mall supporters or not, Free Cake won over my heart by the second song they played, “For You,” and they’ll have it forever.

ADULT MOM. I have been looking forward to seeing them for so so long. Stephanie might be the funniest person on twitter (I’m sorry for favoriting so often lol) and she’s just as funny in person with banter about famous folks from MPLS and Keiran the owl who is the “silliest looking thing!” It’s been a long time since I’ve felt so much love and appreciation for a performing band, and that peaked as Stephanie dedicated “Told Ya So” to “all the queer and trans people, we love you. Happy Pride!” The last song, “What’s Another Lipstick Mark” was introduced with “okay, this is like the dance portion of the show,” as shoes were kicked off and the mic came out of the stand.

 

I didn’t stop smiling the entire show and my cheeks hurt afterwards and then I wept on my way home because it all meant so much. Love some good, wholesome bands. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.