Keep Shelly in Athens ~ Minneapolis 10.19.13

Keep Shelly in Athens

Bolstered by a impressive guitarist and powerful drummer, Greek duo Keep Shelly in Athens brought their "dream pop" to the 7th St Entry in Minneapolis shortly after starting their abbreviated US tour. Although the recent government shut down meant their visas were delayed and a few initial shows had to be cancelled, vocalist Sarah P and  her composer/instrumentalist partner RPR led their band and the zealous crowd through much of their debut album At Home.

The sound was lush, invigorating, hypnotizing and stimulating, sometimes all within a single song. Most of the crowd seemed familiar with material culled from their At Home release, as well as from the singles, EPs, and compilations released in the past couple of years since their inception in 2010.

While RNR worked his magic in almost total darkness at the rear of the stage with his computer and melange of electronics, the mesmerizing Sarah P. guided us through the songs with coos, moans, fervor, and soaring notes worthy of any Greek goddess. Cloaked in shadows much of the time due to the venue's sub-standard lighting, she reminded us that today's music is not the vapid wasteland that mainstream and social media makes it out to be. Kudos to the audience members for discovering Keep Shelly in Athens, and hearty thanks to the band for making the journey from their native land to the heartland of our country for their tour. And, like a good friend said the next day: "Too bad we can't Keep Shelly in Minneapolis!".

Set List:
- In love with dusk- Struggle with yourself- The chains- A tear in my i- Flyway- Time Exists Only to betray us - Madmen love- Higher- Sails- Our Own Dream- Running out of you- Stay Away- Recollection- DIY- Knife- Addictions 

Local band Strange Relations and their UK Cascine labelmate Chad Valley primed the crowd, who opted out of seeing Soul Asylum and Fountains of Wayne next door for this more contemporary line up. Keep Shelly in Athens continues their tour through North America at the following venues:

Oct 22, 2013 @ Biltmore Cabaret in Vancouver, Canada
Oct 23, 2013 @ Barboza in Seattle, WA
Oct 25, 2013 @ Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco, CA
Oct 26, 2013 @ Bootleg Bar in Los Angeles, CA
Oct 27, 2013 @ The Casbah in San Diego, CA
Oct 29, 2013 @ Glasslands in Brooklyn, NY
Oct 30, 2013 @ Mercury Lounge in New York, NY

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