Bad Suns hit​ Varsity with a “Mystic Truth”

Last updated on May 4th, 2019 at 06:30 am

Many people associate the end of April with the tired *NSYNC meme, but for fans of Bad Suns, the end of the month meant a night at Varsity Theater with the beloved Los Angeles-based band.

The tour stopped in Minneapolis last night in support of their most recent album, Mystic Truth, which was released on March 22 of this year.

No Side-Eye Here

Minnesota locals Maple & Beech kicked off the night as the show’s only openers. They can best be described as a jazzy-pop seven-piece band who, like their Facebook page states, don’t take themselves too seriously.

That was made pretty clear from the beginning because when you see a guy in a band running around on stage with instruments as non-traditional as maracas, you know you’re in for a good time.

Their demeanor made for a lively and engaging act, with the members’ comfortability and trust in one another shining throughout their set.

Later, they had their newest member, Nicole Wilder, switch over to lead vocals on a few songs. This included a flawless rendition of “Heart of Glass” (seriously – Blondie, who?)

Such a simple change made for a drastic difference and was a dynamic display of their diversity as a group. For a glimpse into their variety of sound, check out their hit song, “Side-Eye”.

If you missed last night’s show, you’re in luck! Maple & Beech has another show in the Twin Cities scheduled next week at Amsterdam Bar & Hall.

Find the information about this upcoming event and others here, and be sure to stay up to date with this vivacious group!

(More Than) One Magic Moment

Dressed in navy button-ups and slacks to match, an extremely spiffy Bad Suns took to the stage promptly at 8 p.m.

Their set kicked off with “Away We Go,” the first track off of their newest album (which has a music video produced by Music In Minnesota’s very own Alex Kohnstamm.)

With a discography jam-packed with upbeat songs, it was hard to predict which they’d open with. But as the lead single off of Mystic Truth, and an undeniable hit, track one was more than fitting.

I’ve seen Bad Suns play live once before, so I knew what to expect as far as energy and gusto, but what I didn’t expect was such a diverse setlist, especially since this tour was meant as a promotion for their newest album.

In the opening three songs alone, they covered all of their previous albums, playing one song off of each full-length record they’ve created, including my personal favorite, “Transpose.”

As the night continued, they played fan-favorites new and old and had the entire crowd dancing. However, instead of just jumping up and down, Bad Suns had the audience members moving in a carefree and authentic fashion.

This makes sense. The best way I can think to describe this band is the perfect indie-rock feel-good dance music for any occasion.

One of the obvious highlights of their performance was during “Rearview,” when frontman, Christo Bowman, jumped into the crowd to hold hands with eager concertgoers on the left side of the stage.

He then ran over to the right side of the stage to do the same. The response was overwhelmingly positive.

All too soon, the sixteen-song set came to a close. In a perfect full-circle manner, just as they began their set with track one, they closed with “Starjumper,” the final track off their newest album.

As this song finished, Bowman once more climbed over the barricade and onto the sea of fans, this time using the hands of those in the pit as support.

He stood upright while triumphantly bellowing out the final lines, then the band strummed their final chords and left the stage as it faded to darkness.

Surely, an exit so intense and intimate would leave the fans wanting more.

Only a few moments passed until, to the crowd’s delight, Bad Suns once more returned and announced they had three songs left to play.

The final songs quickly were finished (since time always seems to speed up when you’re enjoying yourself) and after the appropriately named closer, “One Magic Moment,” the band joined hands in the center of the stage, all smiles, and took a bow.

It was a perfect, humbling, and bitter-sweet end to a night filled with such charisma and zest, but of course, that is to be expected when a band as talented as Bad Suns is at the forefront of it all.

Be sure to check out Bad Suns if you’re not listening to them already – you don’t want to sleep on these guys! Stay up to date with them here.

Bad Suns Setlist:

Away We Go

Daft Pretty Boys

Transpose

A Miracle, A Mile Away

The World and I

Rearview

Swimming in the Moonlight

Love By Mistake

Darkness Arrives (And Departs)

Outskirts of Paradise

Cardiac Arrest

This Was a Home Once

Salt

Hold Your Fire

We Move Like the Ocean

Starjumper

Encore:

20 Years/Off She Goes

Heartbreaker

One Magic Moment