7th Street Entry held a sold out show for Katy Kirby and her openers, Lana Leone and Allegra Krieger, on March 1. Each artist offered a different sound, combined into a concert experience that highlighted my genre niches. Lana Leone is a dream pop/semi-shoegaze band from Minneapolis, a last minute addition by Radio K, a student run radio station at the U of M. Although it extended how long the concert was, that didn’t matter after seeing all the acts. Allegra has a singer-songwriter vibe to her songs, and hails from New York City. Katy Kirby is an indie/ folk artist from Texas but moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she worked on her newest album “Blue Raspberry.”
Lana Leone opened the show right on time, and I was at the very front. For most of their set the guitars were overpowering and the mic was muffled, which added to the shoegaze aspect of their sound. It was hard to decipher what their lead singer, Alana Christen, was saying but their music was exciting nonetheless. The guitarist, Josh Frenier, had a chaotic energy, rocking back and forth while strumming their guitar, leading to some annoying feedback and static during some of the songs. Regardless, they were a fun and energetic local opening act. When Kirby came out, she said that this was the best local band she has had as an opener on the tour so far.
Krieger took the stage next. She stood to the right side of the audience with only her guitar in her hands. It was a much more intimate set. She performed a lot of different songs from her various albums, and they all sounded similar. That might have been because she didn’t have anyone playing drums or a bass guitar, but her music is reminiscent of a DIY sound. Kirby and her band had a lot of praise for Krieger. Any chance they got, they would tell the audience that Krieger was one of the best songwriters of her time, giving her high praise throughout their own set. There was a lot of appreciation from all artists to one another throughout the concert, which I thought was a positive addition, cementing their comradery.
When Kirby and her band came out, the stage looked way too small for the whole band. It was crowded with all the instruments, pedals and chords scattered around. Besides Kirby, there was Logan Chung on guitar, Austin Arnold on drums, and Margaux Bouchegnies on bass. Kirby opened the show with a personal performance of “Redemption Arc.” She serenaded us with her use of keyboards and soft vocals. I’ve seen Kirby before as an opener for Julia Jacklin in 2022, so it was nice to finally see her on tour for her own album. Some crowd favorites were “Cool Dry Place” and “Juniper,” since those are her most popular off her debut album “Cool Dry Place.” A few people in the crowd even sang along. My personal favorite was the title track “Blue Raspberry” since its melody was soothing to hear live.
Kirby and her band were very talkative and cracked plenty of jokes to the audience. They performed a new song, called “Naperville,” and someone from the audience yelled out “Why Naperville?” Kirby was secretive about why the song was inspired by Naperville, but the crowd got a good laugh out of it. They also commented on the Midwest and how the band and crew liked Minneapolis. Kirby is coming again next month on April 12 at the Palace Theatre to open for The Mountain Goats. If you like indie folk music, you should try to go see her live.
Overall, I liked how each performer had a distinct sound and way of performing; the performances ranged from chaotic, to intimate, to yearnful. I didn’t know what kinds of music Lana Leone or Allegra Krieger made before the concert, but I was pleasantly surprised by how they brought in the crowd and set the mood for their sets. Kirby has calming and melancholic songs, but her joking and sarcastic personality came through during the small breaks between songs. It was relaxed show and each performer had a good energy when it came to their stage presence and setlists. Lana Leone has upcoming shows on March 23 and March 30 if you want to go support a local band with dream pop/shoegaze influence.
You can find more information about them on their Instagram @ lana__leone.
