Destroyer and Mega Bog Decimate Performance at Fine Line

Walking into Fine Line finally on a bearable night in Minnesota, I was hit with a wall of blue light and static. Thinking it was a faulty sound check, I paid no attention, but chords began to blast. I then was introduced to Mega Bog, and their frontwoman Erin Birgy.

Mega Bog is a Brooklyn, NY based band, which has been influenced by the likes of Big Thief, Hand Habits, and Heartwarmers. They have two albums with there latest being Happy Together, which was released in February of 2017. The group makes their evolutionary sound by mixing a bit of jazz and pop with poetic love tantrum lyrics, music that is abstract and free, yet relatable.

Echoing clarinets and artsy lyrics drowned out the static I heard from the start. Mega Bog rounded out the show with great appreciation from their Minneapolis fans and those, like myself, who were having their first listen.

Destroyer was up next; an indie rock band with a metal name from Vancouver, Canada. The band is made up Dan Bejar (vocals, guitar), Nicholas Bragg (guitar), Tim Loewen (bass, guitar, harmonica), Ted Bois (keyboards), Scott Morgan (drums, baritone sax) and Fisher Rose (vibes, trumpet).

They got their name from Bejar. He wanted a rock ‘n’ roll name because “In our own special way, we’re tearing shit apart, you just have to listen closely.” In other words, “there are fangs to our music.”

Upon beginning their set, I was hit again with another wall of sound. This time, BASS. The rumbling ceased once Destroyer took the stage. It was obvious many have been waiting for Destroyer to land in Minneapolis. Playing hits off their newest album Ken, and favorite oldies, the Canadian indie group kept the crowd moving with ease.

Moving so much, in fact, after the last song the crowd cheered for an encore. They got it. This is when trumpet player Rose stole the show. He played a prominent solo which left deep grooves on the musical brains of concertgoers; a performance difficult to forget.