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Touring on their latest LP “Swell” which came out January 26 of this year, Tiny Moving Parts squeezed in a Fargo at The Aquarium on April 28, in-between their Europe and US/Canada tour.
Local favorites Free Truman started off the event with their new sans-bass player lineup. The pair breezed through their set, which included a new song. Having the sister band opening for Tiny Moving Parts, a band made up of brothers Matthew and Billy Chevalier and their cousin Dylan Mattheisen, added to the community feel of the event.
Ohio act Jetty Bones made their North Dakota debut soon after Free Truman. Taking the stage sporting the band’s very own themed cosmetic glitter, lead singer Kelc Galluzzo’s bubbly personality drew everyone in. The group had the crowd laughing from the start when they sang their “mic checking song” to set up the monitor. Galluzzo asked the crowd if they wanted the band to go off stage and re-enter as if none of the sound checks had been witnessed, but was reassured by the crowd it wasn’t necessary.
Knowing many in attendance were unfamiliar with her music, Galluzzo started off with a cover of 80’s hit “Your Love” by The Outfield. As Galluzzo put it,” We’re going to play a song you might know and then more songs that you probably don’t.” Jetty Bones’ pop-y alternative songs harken back to the golden age of Paramore and were well received by the audience.
Finally the band everyone was waiting for, Tiny Moving Parts took the stage. Starting off with single “Applause” from “Swell” they got the party going right away. The crowd was the liveliest I’ve been a part of in a long time; everyone pressing closer to the stage and many stage diving. There was even the added drama of a zealous crowd member accidentally cutting open their hand and splattering everyone within a five-person radius (including myself).
The band mixed hits off of “Swell” with fan favorites from farther back in their discography. Songs like “Sundress” and “Common Cold” were greeted with deafening cheers. Mattheisen told the audience multiple times throughout the night, they love playing in Fargo because they have so many friends in the area.
It was only fitting “Dakota” off of “This Couch is Long and Full of Friendship” was the last of their set. The lyrics ” The Midwest has blessed me with great friends and unforgettable relationships. It still hit my head each and every day.” said everything the band wanted to. As an audience member, it made you feel like you were all part of one big family.
Not surprisingly, the band hadn’t even left the stage when the first cheer of “TMP” rang through the small space. The band returned for an encore within minutes of stepping off the stage. The night ended with Dylan crowd surfing while playing the ending bars of the song. A night to remember, for sure.