ROCK HOP: A DIVE INTO FOLK SOUL, PUNK & HIP HOP

THOMAS ABBAN, DEM ATLAS, AVYAH, SEABERG

VENUE: TURF CLUB

FEBRUARY 22, 2018

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All content by: Patrick Dunn

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I love the idea of showcasing some of the diverse genre defying musical offerings being explored by artists right here in the local Twin Cities music scene. Rock Hop, billed as "a dive into Folk Soul, Punk & Hip Hop" did exactly that at the Turf Club on February 22nd. Perhaps somewhere in this mix lies the next definition of the Minneapolis sound. 

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After being included in First Avenue's Best New Bands of 2017 show on January 5th, Thomas Abban has proven to be absolutely worthy of this recognition. Your first impression of his style and stage presence might have you drawing comparisons to Prince with even a few hints of James Brown in his cadence. Abban's music is not so easy to classify, but as this show calls out has elements of Folk & Soul. Vocally, he lives in the upper register, which certainly is an identifiable part of his unique sound. 

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Where I believe Abban really shines is what he does on guitar. You can certainly pick up on it when listening to his album "A Shiek's Legacy", but the live experience is where you get a real appreciation for his genius. My favorite example came during "Echo" in which he tapped and slapped his way all around an acoustic guitar led to a strong audience reaction. Other great moments also happened on electric as he knows how to masterfully build to a solo and one point was even inspired enough to play behind his head for great effect. I'm excited to see what Abban can accomplish over the next year as he continues to gain momentum. It would be worth keeping informed of his live performance schedule here as I expect he will be showing up all around the Twin Cities in 2018.