In keeping with his musical alias Kindness, Adam Bainbridge offers free DJ gigs while he’s on tour.
As Kindness, Bainbridge released “Otherness” in 2014, following his 2012 debut album, “World, You Need a Change of Mind.” Though he’s performed all over the world, he is currently touring the U.S. for the first time. On Tuesday, he brings his Go-Go, pop-infused rhythm and blues to the Triple Rock Social Club.
For “Otherness,” Bainbridge collaborated with Kelela, Ade, Robyn and Minneapolis rapper, M.anifest. The artist traveled to each artist’s hometown to record their respective tracks.
“It’s a kind of nomadic record in the same way that the current life of a musician is somewhat nomadic,” Bainbridge said.
Bainbridge said he first met M.anifest while he was recording an album with Solange Knowles, who spontaneously decided to move the recording process to Ghana.
“[M.anifest] showed us around Accra, Ghana, and we stayed in touch. I guess we have friends at home and a lot of common music we produce,” Bainbridge said. “I like the idea of meeting people as you travel around and just things happening spontaneously.”
Before his music developed its current sound, Bainbridge watched an interview with Rich Harrison, who cited Go-Go music as an influence. Afterwards, Bainbridge delved into the genre online and found the sound resonated with him.
“I think it’s one of the most dynamic and highly-developed live sounds,” he said. “There’s nothing quite like Go-Go music.”
Bainbridge said he first started making music as a DJ after playing around with music mixing software, but roughly six years went by before he pursued making an album.
Though he wrote and sang all of the album’s lyrics, he said vocals came secondary.
“I’m not a singer. I’m a producer that just has to sing once in a while,” Bainbridge said. “I don’t consider myself a singer, especially when I’m surrounded with really good ones.”
Bainbridge said he plans on releasing another album in the future, but he has no set date in mind.
In the meantime, he’s enjoying his first time touring in the U.S.
“It feels amazing to meet people that have maybe listened to both albums and have never seen us,” Bainbridge said. “I don’t think of myself as a singer, but I love performing these songs to people that want to hear them.”
While on tour, Bainbridge tries his best to eat healthy and spice up his schedule with spontaneous DJ gigs.
“I’m trying really hard not to eat pancakes in the morning. I like Vietnamese food because it’s pretty nutritionally balanced. That’s kind of the order of the day — to try not to eat junk food,” he said.
Still, the tour bus lifestyle doesn’t optimize home-style cooking.
“I’ve got a rice cooker and a blender. Right now, we have three salad drawers full of kale that’s not going anywhere,” he said.
However, with a 19-hour drive from Calgary to Minneapolis, Bainbridge said he might try to cook some meals on the road.
What: Kindness
Where: Triple Rock Social Club, 629 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday
Cost: $15
