Not much tops an evening of live in your face pop punk music and Saturday night the doors of The Armory were seething with speedy tempos and angst ridden choruses. Yungblud, the England native and modern pop rock darling, had once again made his way back to the Twin Cities with his eponymous tour, ‘Yungblud, the World Tour.’ Returning just over two weeks after the release of his latest single, “Lowlife,” Yungblud fans were in for a treat as there is nothing quite like fresh music, especially fresh live music from one of your favorites. With support from newcomers Games We Play and the potent four piece The Regrettes, Yungblud’s stop in Minneapolis this time around had all of the makings to be his best yet.
Maneuvering through a sea of pink and black clothes, fishnets, and makeup galore the vibe was overwhelmingly positive and the energy high to start the evening off. First to take the stage was the Los Angeles based trio Games We Play and they didn’t waste a second of time in getting the evening started. Like thunder, the punchy guitar and commanding vocals crackled throughout the venue and the bands vitality was reciprocated readily by everyone fortunate to be watching. Despite being new to the scene, the bands approachable attitude and relatable lyrics appeared to swiftly turn the audience into fans. Between effortlessly belting anthems, frontman Emmyn Calleiro playfully bantered with the crowd, from his infatuation and persistent DMing of pop sensation Billie Eilish, to the excitement of signing to the label Fulled By Ramen, making himself and the band come across every bit as authentic and accessible in person as they did through song. Delivering a short but sweet set full of feel good tunes and immense energy, Games We Play is one of the most fun to watch and listen to. If you’re a fan of any of the most recent pop rock, or music in general, they are worth checking out and without a doubt a band to keep an eye on. Performing this well, this early into their career is a sure sign of good things to come for them and their career.
The Regrettes took to the stage just after 8:30 in front of an impending banner that read “We are The Regrettes, nice to meet you.” Keeping the spirit high the female fronted quartet kept up the punk vibes front and center but added their own twist to the sound of the night. Fusing the edge of punk sound with garage pop/surf rock style the band made quite the compelling case for themselves to anyone in the audience who was unfamiliar. Given the audience engagement it was evident they seemed just as happy to meet the band as the band was to meet them. Frontwoman Lydia Night was especially grateful that such a crowd had showed up early to give their music a listen and offered a thanks that was rewarded with overwhelming cheers. The showmanship of The Regrettes was expressive and theatrical, the group did well to keep up and add to the feeling of authenticity the night had been soaking in. Songs about empowerment, love and sexuality, body image, and a cover of Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own”made for an experience that commanded attention. Their time on stage was every bit as cathartic as a jump from a cliff and just as emotional. I’m of the opinion that The Regrettes set out to make friends in the audience Saturday night and of that I’m sure they succeeded.
And just like that the moment everyone was waiting on had arrived. The lights dimmed and the band took to the stage. The suspense lingered for just a little while longer before Yungblud quite literally sprinted to center stage. As a good chunk of his discography might suggest, Yungblud is a literal ball of energy of a man and Saturday night he was ready to run a marathon. The funky groove of “21st Century Liability” opened the show and everyone behind me went word for word with the singer. There is something to be said about a performer who can hold a tune while jumping, sprinting, and kicking his way across the stage and for someone like Yungblud it’s painless. Navigating hits from all three of his records he bounced and bounded across the stage, warmly greeting those who were at their first show of his, and welcomed home all who’d shared that experience before. Navigating themes of love, self loathing, angst, and freedom it’s easy to see why he’s connected with so many people globally, as these are universal feelings and universal desires. Approaching each topic he touches with equal parts introspection and projection, everyone in attendance was made to feel that the struggles you deal with day to day are some of the same struggles he does. And all of this, these feelings, that makes his music so compelling ring the most true when he’s looking you in your face telling you to be as weird as you can. Softer, stripped back acoustic moments gave way to more chaos and excitement as Yungblud belted his heart out and the crowd in front of him did the same. A familiarity between fans given the shared passion for the music made for a familial event and a concert experience that was overflowing with passion, dedication, and ecstasy.
