The Cactus Blossoms warmed up the garage stage at Knuckleheads
The Cactus Blossoms. // photo by Alex Agueros
Sheltering a sparse but cozy crowd from temperatures responsible for days-old snow stuck to the streets, The Cactus Blossoms warmed up the garage stage Wednesday, January 28, at Knuckleheads.
Minneapolis country duo Jack Torrey and Page Burkum, brothers who perform as The Cactus Blossoms, craft the kind of familiar-as-family country music that persuades even first-time listeners to sing along by the final chorus. With their cousin Phillip Hicks on bass and another pair of siblings, Jake and Jeremy Hanson on guitar and drums, respectively, the honky tonk atmosphere proved an ideal setting to allow their range of tight-knit compositions to glow a little brighter.
Ballads like “Powder Blue,” “Go On,” “Lonely Heart,” and “See It Through,” were especially affecting amid the neon grunge backdrop, while the gang of clean-shaven, blue jean performers cooked at high heat for openers “Please Don’t Call Me Crazy,” and “Something’s Got a Hold on Me.” The Cactus Blossoms followed with “Downtown,” which acquainted the crowd of about 150 to their blue-collar sensibilities.
The Cactus Blossoms. // photo by Alex Agueros
“Try getting by on minimum wage, I dare you,” Torrey sang. “American slaves in the modern age, it should scare you.”
Torrey and Burkum’s signature vocal harmonies, reverence for traditional folk structures and Jake Hanson’s savvy noodling supported a range of Americana and country selections that required patience but never meandered. Achieving a twangy tone with a “regular” guitar, Torrey explained that Jake Hanson was “no regular guitar player.”
“Jacob had some barbecue today, and I could hear that!” Burkum joked after a particularly tangy groove.
Before a three-song encore, The Cactus Blossoms ended their set with “On Our Own,” which they debuted in response to recent killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis. Those in attendance cheered their protest message with scattered applause and a patron remarking, “It’s just not right!” Torrey emphasized support for immigrant populations in Minneapolis and beyond.
“Don’t believe the lies,” Torrey said. “Minneapolis is a beautiful place with awesome people.”
Angela Autumn. // photo by Alex Agueros
Angela Autumn opened the night with a solo set that won over the early crowd with help from new songs, a sense of humor, and an undeniably catchy centerpiece.
Tuning her instrument while riffing on the multitasking necessary for solo acts between songs, she half-jokingly offered to give banjo lessons at the merch table. “It’s good to be a jack of all trades in this economy,” she said, and later debuted a song about feeling “not cut out for this.”
She was visibly excited upon completing “Electric Lizard,” a mesmerizing earworm about a self-induced spiral. Those on time for the 7:30 p.m. start were audibly receptive.
“It’s good to hear a warm applause after freezing all day,” she said.
All photos by Alex Agueros
The Cactus Blossoms
Angela Autumn
