I’ve lived in Minneapolis for a little over two years now, and while that isn’t a very long time, I have had the opportunity to see more than a few shows at First Avenue. I’ve seen shows with crowds both large and small, sold-out and not sold-out, and usually upon entering the club, you know which one it is going to be right away. Sold-out crowds have a different type of energy to them. However, I have never experienced a sold-out show quite like what I witnessed Sunday night when NEEDTOBREATHE came to town.
Going into this show, I knew absolutely nothing about this band. Of course, I did my journalistic duties and researched them a little bit and listened to a few of their hits, but as I have said in previous articles, I love to go into shows with an open mind and no expectations. I want to experience the band for who they truly are, not the absolute perfect version of yourself you can achieve by sitting in a studio doing the same guitar riff thirty-plus times. It’s just a personal preference, attack me in the comments section if you must.
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Upon entering the club, the typical feeling of “Ok, we’ve got a sold-out crowd, this should be fun” was very quickly replaced by “Holy shit, this show is VERY sold-out, I have never seen this many people inside of this club before.” Simply put, showing up an hour after doors opened was a mistake.
After shuffling my way through the crowd in a failed attempt to find a decent place to watch the show, I returned to the back of the club near the stairs just as openers, The Brummies, were taking the stage. You could tell they were very excited for the opportunity to open this show, often telling the crowd in between songs exactly that.
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“It’s been fun opening for these guys on tour, but, I gotta say, watching these guys drive from city to city in a bus while we are all cramped in a van, it gets tough!” the lead singer joked just before wrapping up their set, clearing relishing the opportunity to showcase their talents on such a successful tour.
After The Brummies finished their set, my assumption that the crowd would dissipate a little bit in efforts to go refill on beverages and empty their bladders couldn’t have been more incorrect, as the entire crowd stood their ground, clearly not giving up their spots for any reason, and as soon as NEEDTOBREATHE stepped out on stage, I understood why.
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I always take comments such as “They are absolutely amazing live! You’re going to be blown away.” from people describing their favorite bands with a grain of salt. Of course you love the way your favorite band performs live, admitting to yourself that you were unsatisfied with their performance is crushing for some. However, upon hearing the first notes out of powerhouse vocalist Bear Rhinehart’s mouth echoing throughout the building, I was sold.
Honestly, the entire show was kind of a blur for me, as I spent most of the night attempting to figure out in my mind how I had never heard of this band before. I am a sucker for bands who put on a hell of a live performance, and NEEDTOBREATHE is right up my alley. At one point, there was even a saxophone solo, which if you know me, you understand why that is such a big selling point for this band.
All I can really say is this; if you have the opportunity to see this band, don’t squander it. Buy tickets, and buy them early, as I see them being definite sellouts in this area for years to come.
NEEDTOBREATHE Setlist:
- Don’t Bring That Trouble (Gimme Shelter Outro)
- Money & Fame
- No Excuses
- House of the Rising Sun (The Animals Cover)
- The Heart
- State I’m In
- Washed by the Water
- Something Beautiful
- Happiness
- Keep Your Eyes Open
- Testify
- Great Night
- Feet, Don’t Fail Me Now
- Let’s Stay Home Tonight
- Clear
- Stand By Me (Ben E. King Cover)
- Lay ‘Em Down
- Hard Love
- Girl Named Tennessee
- The Outsiders
Encore
- Wasteland
- Brother
- Cages (Acoustic)
