K.FLAY w/ UPSAHL, corook @ First Avenue | 2-25-2022
It is a cold Friday night in Minneapolis, and a crowd has gathered with a palpable positive vibe. Within the walls of the infamous First Avenue Downtown Danceteria an impromptu sing-along to the pre-show music is in progress.
Singer- songwriter and multi-instrumentalist corook took the stage Though she stated she was nervous and that this is her first tour, there was zero evidence of inexperience from the entertainer, who exuded charisma and confidence like a seasoned pro. For a categorically short opening set, she had the crowd engaged from the first note with her unique blend of humour, wit, and a presence that resonated with the crowd to the very last note. she even engaged in banter with her admirers between songs.
corook
It was clear the audience had come expecting a good time. corook delivered and UPSAHL took the torch and sprinted. UPSAUL embraced the momentum that corook ignited and doused it with gasoline. Precision musicianship, and a spirited and engaging stage presence kept the crowd mesmerized. Throughout her setlist, which included “Drugs”, “Lunatic” & “Lady Jesus”, she had the crowd singing and dancing in unison. UPSAHL is a quickly rising star that will soon be headlining a national tour if her current trajectory persists. She topped off the crowd’s energy in preparation for the night’s headliner, K. Flay.
UPSAUL
With her signature style, K. Flay explored every inch of the stage with enthusiasm and a liveliness that rivals today’s biggest musicians throughout ”The Inside Voices Outside Voices Tour”. Between songs, which included “Weirdo”, “I’m Afraid of the Internet”, and “Blood In The Cut”, she performed spoken word segments of her struggles and how her music is her therapy. Late in the set she encouraged the crowd to blow off their own pent up emotions with a collective primal scream that rattled everything within the historic venue.
She’s amassed a broad variety of fans that come from all walks of life and who echo the sentiments of her brand. This three-act lineup is very complementary and synergistic in terms of styles that are hard to classify. This trio of singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists are unified in a welcomed message that mental health care is health care and should be taken seriously by all. The tones of self-acceptance and self-love drove the narrative throughout the night and was perfectly capped off by K. Flay.
