Great Music, Weather & People Fuel Basilica Block Party
Photo Gallery: Friday at Basilica Block Party 2018 by Patrick Dunn
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Photo Gallery: Saturday at Basilica Block Party 2018 by Patrick Dunn
GRAMMER ROCKS THE SUNSET!
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Review written by: Madison Rude
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Andy Grammer’s performance at the 2018 Basilica Block Party was everything you never knew you needed from a live show.
As the sun dipped behind the horizon, Grammer took the PreferredOne stage by storm with his highly-danceable, uplifting hits like Workin’ On It, and Fine By Me.
The Vibe
Grammer—who’s been on the music scene since 2011—came armed with a killer backup crew who stormed the stage and got the crowd moving right off the bat. By the time the man himself actually took the mic, the whole lawn at the Basilica was screaming.
Grammer is known for his positive and poppy style, and he made sure to let the crowd in on a few of his song’s backstories to set the mood. Then he proceeded to break out some kickass choreography with his crew to get the crowd dancing and singing along.
It’s hard to feel down when Grammer is serenading the sunset with Keep Your Head Up, and I for one will be taking the memory of that performance to my grave!
The Set
Grammer is no slouch when it comes to stage presence, but he knew exactly when to pull it back and put the spotlight on his talented team. With plenty of room for guitar solos, bass solos, and incredible riffs from his backup singer, the stage was full of musical prowess that night.
And that’s when he brought down the house with his original song, 85, which touches on the importance of being present, grounded, and remembering what really matters in life.
Needless to say, everyone left this performance with a smile on their face and some good food-for-thought.
BORNS AT THE BASILICA
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Review written by: Madison Rude
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What a weekend for a party! The 2018 Basilica Block Party lit up Minneapolis, and on Saturday night BORNS rocked the Great Clips stage like a young and quirky Michael Jackson.
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The Classics
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BORNS has been on the music scene since the launch of his album Dopamine in 2015 which amassed a cult-like following.
He started the night with fan-favorites like 10,000 Emerald Pools, American Money, and Past Lives as the crowd sang along.
Some New, Some Used
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Not only did he bring to life some of his classics (and break out some interesting dance moves in the process) but he played some new tunes off his 2018 album Blue Madonna as well. One song in particular, We Don’t Care, had the whole crowd grooving.
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That’s when he threw in an interesting unique cover of Madonna’s Holiday to the crowd’s surprise!
Overall
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Though the performance was killer, it was probably more enjoyed by long-time fans of the Michigan-born singer than people just getting acquainted with his funky, laid-back style.
That said, the crowd was full of people willing to sing along and dance when the right moment kicked in, and it was only punctuated by the sunset reflected in the Minneapolis skyline. It doesn’t get much better than the Block Party!
