Show Review & Photo Gallery: The Burney Sisters, Faith Boblett & Kelley Smith at Green Room in Minneapolis
Sept. 20 was a night filled with soul-stirring melodies and unforgettable performances at the recently opened Uptown venue. See photos from the show!
The Burney Sisters. Photo credit: Tom Smouse.
In the community’s efforts to reinvigorate the Uptown Minneapolis neighborhood as a cultural hub, Green Room is one of the most promising contributors. The venue aims to become a haven for artists and music enthusiasts alike, where the local music scene can flourish and evolve.
The layout is flexible, able to feel spacious and clubby—or cozy and intimate, as I discovered last Wednesday when I entered to see the dance floor had been filled with tables and chairs. The setup created a listening-room feel to the place, perfect for experiencing extraordinary songwriting talents like Faith Boblett, The Burney Sisters and Kelley Smith.
Faith Boblett. Photo credit: Tom Smouse.
Faith Boblett, a celebrated singer-songwriter in the local music scene, took the stage with her acoustic guitar as the opener. Accompanied by the talented Seth Duin on electric guitar and harmonies, Boblett shared songs of romance gone wrong and feminist frustration, punctuated by funny asides and goofy animal jokes. The chemistry between Boblett and Duin was undeniable as they effortlessly wove their voices and guitars together.
The Burney Sisters. Photo credit: Tom Smouse.
The Burney Sisters from Columbia, Missouri, known as much for their young ages as for their mesmerizing harmonies and heartfelt lyrics, graced the stage as the middle act. I’d heard buzz about this act (who became a duo after their oldest sister Olivia left the band) and could tell a lot of other audience members were eagerly anticipating their set as well.
From the very first notes they sang together, it was clear the Burney Sisters were here to steal the show. Their energy was infectious, radiating through every corner of the Green Room. With their tight-knit sibling harmonies, 15-year-old multi-instrumentalist Emma and 13-year-old bassist Bella powered through a nearly two-hour set of thoughtful originals and idiosyncratic covers with an indie folk-pop sound. Emma switched freely between acoustic guitar, cello, keyboard and fiddle. Bella took on some ear-catching bass solos that inspired impromptu mid-song applause.
Kelley Smith. Photo credit: Tom Smouse.
While The Burney Sisters started their careers unusually young, Kelley Smith entered hers later than usual, at age 40. But when the visionary northern Minnesota singer-songwriter took the stage as the closer, armed only with her guitar and a spine-tingling voice, you couldn’t tell she’s only been at this a couple years. Smith transported the room into a realm of enchantment both beautiful and sorrowful. With deeply affecting lyrics and haunting melodies, Smith shared stories we could all relate to. Her solo acoustic set created an atmosphere of intimacy and vulnerability, allowing the audience to connect on a deep and personal level.
The concert at Green Room was a feast for the senses. I look forward to hearing more from all three acts and returning to the venue soon!
Show gallery (all photos by Tom Smouse)
Carol Roth at Turf Club. Photo credit: Dan Lee.
Carol Roth is a full-time marketing copywriter and the main music journalist and social media publicist for Adventures in Americana. In addition to studying the guitar and songwriting, Carol’s additional creative side hustle is writing self-proclaimed “trashy” novels under the pseudonym T.A. Berkeley!
