Hey! I went to the American Authors show (featuring Billy Raffoul), on 2/24 at the Fine Line. I’d never been to the Fine Line, but it’s a great venue and the show was a lot of fun!

The Fine Line has been a Minnesota institution since 1987, but I’m surprised it took me almost 24 years to check it out. It’s a smaller venue than the State or Varsity theaters, and more of a club than a formal concert hall. The ground floor is standing room only, but there are some dining tables on the balcony. I didn’t get a chance to explore the upper level; I was busy at the front of the floor crowd. 🙂

I came for the opener and i was not disappointed! I had originally planned to see Billy Raffoul at First Ave in February of 2020, but that fell through. Getting to see him now after all this time felt like a full-circle moment. He opened with “You Be Love”, his biggest radio hit. I came to the show with this song stuck in my head, so hearing that first was an incredible treat. His set was a nice blend of ballads and up-tempo songs. The other standout (in my opinion) was a slow and sad ballad called “Jim Carrey”-as in the actor. It’s an unexpected little gem of a song.

After a brief intermission, the American Authors hit the stage ready to party! The opened with “Believer”, and played many of their best-known songs. But one of the songs they left off their set list was “Best Day of My Life”. I’m not sure why they declined to play their biggest hit, but it gave the audience a chance to hear some fresh material.

The American Authors are definitely an eclectic band. Lead singer Zac Barnett proudly hails from Minnetonka, but his hairstyle made me wonder if he also secretly hailed from the 1970s. 🙂 I kid, but each band member has a unique style, while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic. They maintained their high energy from the first song to the last, and it was a party from start to finish!

I had a great time at the Fine Line and I’d love to go to more shows there. It was great to finally see Billy Raffoul on stage, and to get to know the American Authors! I’d give the show and the venue a 9/10, with one point docked because I did get overwhelmed near the end of the night. That’s all from me for now, but I’ll catch you on the flip side.