Who: Romantica, Zoo Animal, Peter Wolf Crier, the 4onthefloor and others
What: Red Stag Block Party
Where: Red Stag Supperclub, 509 First Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
When: Sunday, July 31
3-10 p.m.
Cost: Free
Surely, the words âÄúsupper clubâÄù donâÄôt evoke images of anything as rowdy and loud as a rock âÄònâÄô roll block party. But all preconceptions aside, NortheastâÄôs illustrious, environmentally friendly Red Stag Supperclub is the latest in this summerâÄôs bustling block party circuit.
Like nearly every festival or block party lineup, Red StagâÄôs daylong soirée offers diversity, boasting a lineup that provides a high-quality interaction between local up-and-comers like the Cloak Ox (Andrew Broder of Fog) and seasoned stalwarts that include Romantica and Mike Mictlan of Doomtree.
Kicking off this Sunday afternoon, the block party is free and we here at A&E give you the lowdown on the very best of what Red Stag has to offer.
Mike Mictlan
Mike Mictlan is probably the most underappreciated member of Twin Cities rap juggernaut Doomtree. While he might not share the left-leaning cadence of P.O.S. or the sexy-cool charisma of Dessa, Mictlan isnâÄôt just some stage filler. HeâÄôs an emcee in his own right âÄî and a damn talented one at that. On the Doomtree staple âÄúGame Over,âÄù you can hear Mictlan at his very finest, spitting 24 bars of airtight rhymes that are just as virulent as they are thoughtful.
Noteworthy tracks: âÄúGame OverâÄù and âÄúPrize FightâÄù
Peter Wolf Crier
Immediately following the dissolution of the Wars of 1812, local songwriter Peter Pisano didnâÄôt waste too much time sulking about the breakup. Hell, he didnâÄôt even waste that much time writing his next album. Written in a single night Peter Wolf CrierâÄôs debut album âÄúInter-BeâÄù is a polished collection of lovelorn bedroom folk that goes down easily but still packs plenty of substance. The City PagesâÄô Picked-to-Click favorite even netted some respectable praise from the indie gatekeepers over at Pitchfork. Best of all, Pisano and drummer Brian Moen always make sure to deliver a spirited, larger-than-life performance on stage.
Noteworthy tracks: âÄúCrutch & CaneâÄù and âÄúYouâÄôre So HighâÄù
Zoo Animal
Yeah, theyâÄôre devout church-goers, but Zoo Animal isnâÄôt the kind of Christian rock you and your Cobain-worshipping friends used to make fun of back in grade school. Fronted by the wispy-voiced Holly Newsom, the Christ-loving trio delivers an inoffensive dose of polished indie-pop that never succumbs to imitation.
Noteworthy tracks: âÄúBaybeeâÄù and âÄúBlack and GoldâÄù
ChooglinâÄô
In all their jerky, garage rockinâÄô glory, ChooglinâÄô sure have found an interesting footing. While the seven-man ensemble has, for the most part, slipped by the local pressâÄô radar, theyâÄôve carved out a niche for themselves and (inexplicably)established a modest following in Norway. But more recently the groupâÄôs gravitated towards a more grandiose sound. Their live shows are a potent mixture of spattering horns and blistering guitar solos which proved theyâÄôve graduated from the snot-nosed punk shtick that defined their earlier material. And whether they like it or not, theyâÄôll certainly provide SundayâÄôs audience with a much-needed shot in the arm.
Noteworthy tracks: âÄúTonight, AlrightâÄù and âÄúWaltz in DâÄù
