Minneapolis restaurant Zhora Darling hosted four punk bands in their backroom venue on Sept. 20 for a night of genre-bending music featuring local artists whenthedustsettles and Ice Climber, as well as touring bands The Rosies and Babe Haven. 

In my mind, a punk concert seemed like the ultimate, overstimulating event. Characterized by their flashing lights, rowdy mosh pits and roaring music, I chose to stay clear of them entirely until Friday. 

I arrived as the openers, whenthedustsettles, warmed up. I met with avid punk fan Olivia Hines, the Minnesota Daily’s campus administration editor and we grabbed an open space next to the stage and prepared for the night. 

Lead vocalist Silver Ouimet screamed the lyrics to their songs and coaxed the concertgoers closer who had drifted from the stage. In between songs, they would crack jokes to the audience. 

After the concert had ended, Ouimet said the night had been a special one for the band as they and another member of the band were Radio K DJs. They regularly played the music of Babe Haven on air before getting booked for the show. 

“Our final song is about exes,” Ouimet said. “Crazy concept, I know.”

They were met with laughs as the heavy drums set a head-banging tempo. The crowd of about 15 people created a more intimate atmosphere, allowing the audience to interact with the performers while listening. The band finished their set to cheers and whoops from the now enthusiastic crowd. 

The next band was Ice Climber, an acid-rock band that pulled inspiration from every genre when making their music. Xochi de la Luna, 33-year-old vocalist and manager of the band, described the music as “a big melting pot” of metal, jazz, drone and rock. 

Their performance was a hybrid set, combining original music with improvised songs. Their final song was called “Little Secret,” where de la Luna encouraged audience members to share secrets into a microphone. She would then weave them into the final song. 

I had never witnessed crowd interaction like this in a concert. The secrets ranged from light-hearted to extremely vulnerable. 

“The music had a very meditative and healing quality to it,” de la Luna said. “Even if the lyrics were depressing, sometimes you need to let out that darkness, right?” 

Swearing profusely, de la Luna finished the set by hyping the crowd up for the remaining bands, which had grown to about 30 people. 

Described as “Lake Erie surf punk,” The Rosies offered a taste of 2000s garage rock for the night, starting the mosh pit portion of the night. 

Speaking to them prior to the performance, bassist and backing vocalist Sal Corrao offered advice for new punk enthusiasts. 

“First thing, have fun. If it looks like fun, it is fun,” Corrao said. “And I think the biggest thing is, if you’re not sure, just stand back. Everyone’s there for the same thing, to see a cool show and be with like-minded people.” 

This sentiment was echoed by de la Luna, who said, “Go for the music. And the more you go, the more you’ll make friends.” 

“There will be people who are looking for people who seem a little nervous or scared,” she said.

Some drinks were spilled and a single yellow Bic lighter was left in the wake, but I made it through the energetic moshing unscathed thanks to the protective woman I was standing next to, who redirected numerous moshing concertgoers away from us while I took notes.

The night ended with the headliners Babe Haven taking the stage, each carrying a mug of tea. The ballerina-like movements of lead singer Lillie Della Penna contrasted the heavy punk rock songs they performed. 

But when the songs ended, the joking atmosphere would return. Julia Lynn, the bassist, asked at one point if they could pause the show so she could use the bathroom. The crowd giggled as she ran through us, as her bandmates cracked jokes. 

“When you gotta go, you gotta go,” Penna said. 

Babe Haven ended the show with a performance of their song “Lauren,” and Penna joined the crowd to dance before saying goodbye and thanking the crowd and the other performers. 

I ended the night with the understanding that punk can have many different meanings. It can be ballet flats or Doc Martens; it can be screaming lyrics or whispered secrets. Leaving the venue with ringing ears, I was excited for my next punk show.