Show Review & Photo Gallery: FINICK, Emmy Woods & Eldest Daughter at Icehouse
The Minnesota teen’s album release show was a portrait of a rapidly growing artist.
FINICK. Photo credit: Tom Smouse.
Not many people can say they’re heading to college with two full-length albums under their belt. Minnesota singer-songwriter FINICK (real name Josie Hasnik) achieved that this past weekend with the release of sophomore record Weekends in Purgatory, celebrated with a show at Icehouse in Minneapolis.
Eldest Daughter
Opening the night was Twin Cities band Eldest Daughter. They’ve been in existence for a little over a year and just released their debut EP, Cactus Magnet, in January 2025. The band wove pop sensibilities into an indie rock/Americana sound with flair and the polish of a group that’s been playing much longer than they have.
Eldest Daughter. Photo credit: Emmy Woods.
Front woman Monica Merila has a knack for vividly describing difficult emotional states, from regretful memories of the past (like in “Duluth”) to the malaise of an unbalanced relationship (notably in their EP’s title track), and delivers with her powerful voice that has the underlying edge of 90s women rockers like Shirley Manson.
Emmy Woods
With the full house warmed up by Eldest Daughter, Emmy Woods took the stage. I’m always fascinated by acts that have a range of sounds and can lean into different aspects to suit the night. I’ve seen this Minnesota-based artist dial up the twang in her vocals and instrumentation for country-heavy bills and focus on her folky side for singer-songwriter rounds. (I was happy that she included the charmingly nostalgic “Million Miles per Hour” and chilling gothic love story “Ballad of Lake Superior” in her set.)
Emmy Woods. Photo credit: Tom Smouse.
But although I think of Woods as a country/folk act, there’s always been a strong indie rock current running through her music, and she turned it up for this show. Her sweet, sometimes ethereal voice can take on a harder edge when she wants to, carrying a range of tones from scathing to achingly wistful, and the wide-ranging stories in her songs ensure that I always pay attention to lyrics versus just riding the vibes. It was the best I’d ever seen from Woods, and judging from the audience’s response, I’m sure she won new fans that night too.
FINICK
Last up was FINICK, who immediately cranked up the energy in the crowd with a snarling indie rock song. Having only heard a couple singles that I’d categorize as folk-pop and seen a solo acoustic show before, I was unprepared for the punk rock attitude of the first song, and by the artist’s versatility and smooth exploration of different sounds and genres throughout their set (and on their brand new album, Weekends in Purgatory). But I quickly realized that the two opening sets, featuring different explorations of the Americana spectrum, had foreshadowed what was to come.
FINICK. Photo credit: Tom Smouse.
There was plenty of angst and attitude that had me reveling in nostalgia for the powerful women that dominated the alternative radio airwaves in the mid-90s, but FINICK also made room in the set for the folk-pop that first drew me in, including the delightful and surprisingly contemplative sea shanty “Captain Tory.” They also brought a completely unexpected but wholly welcome country twang to a few songs (such as one of my favorites of the night, “Busy and Bored”).
The rather stunning set danced lithely from genre to genre while creating a cohesive portrait of a precocious young artist exploring and mastering a number of sounds. It struck me that the world of music is their oyster, and that there are no constraints or limits to what comes next for this wildly talented and versatile act.
Hasnik heads to college in Wisconsin this fall, so the release show also had the feel of a triumphant sendoff, though hopefully we’ll get some more chances to see FINICK in the Twin Cities before school starts—and that they’ll always make room for the Minnesota music scene wherever life takes them next.
Photo Gallery: Icehouse, Minneapolis (April 12, 2025)
FINICK and Emmy Woods photos by Tom Smouse. Eldest Daughter photos by Emmy Woods.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR & PHOTOGRAPHER
Carol Roth. Photo credit: Dan Lee.
Adventures in Americana co-founder Carol Roth is a novelist who publishes both under her name and the pseudonym T.A. Berkeley in a range of genres, from horror to thriller to YA. She loves to play guitar and sing and occasionally write songs. Her wide-ranging passions also include vegan cooking, personal finance, watching queer romance TV/movies and learning to speak Thai. By day she’s a marketing writer/brand strategist.
Tom Smouse. Photo credit: Chris Taylor.
Tom Smouse is an innovative collaborator with 20 years of experience in the Minnesota music industry. As a professional photographer, podcaster, and music journalist, sharing stories from the community remains his core passion. When not at a show you can find him at a record store.
