Hello loyal readership (that is, if you exist). Nichole and I apologize for our absence, but now that the rush of college applications is finally behind us, we are free to continue writing about our musings on music.

I have been lucky enough to attend some concerts over the past few months, so I thought I’d critique them, as well as geek out over artists I love because that’s what I do best.

Rhye and Lo-Fang at the Pantages Theatre on Oct. 24th

While I definitely listen to my fair share of introspective, rainy-day music, if you will, I tend to prefer to attend energetic concerts by bands with spunk, as it makes for a more memorable overall experience. This unfortunately held true for the mellow Rhye. His voice sounds exactly like it does on the record, which is fine, but his performance strangely lacked the flair and feeling that stands out on his album, “Woman.” Additionally, every song sounds identical, which is lovely when you’re drifting off to sleep, but less lovely when you’re stuck in a chair for two hours.

In contrast, Lo-Fang, the opener, left a far greater impression by straying slightly from his original recordings, and employing a variety of looping techniques. Not to mention he’s a classically trained violinist, hilarious, and quite attractive so hey, that doesn’t hurt, amiright ladies? You can hear him on the recent Chanel No. 5 commercials, singing a brooding cover of Grease’s “You’re the One That I Want.”

Doomtree at Triple Rock Social Club on Dec. 9th and First Avenue on Dec. 13th

Doomtree is without a doubt the band (group, collective, whatever the proper term is for their unique situation) that I have given the most time, money, and most likely, listening to over the years. As someone who recognizes the power of words, I truly appreciate their dedication to creating not only bangers, but well-written, meaningful songs; a painful rarity in rap today. Moreover, they’re local, so I support them in any way I can, whether it be by pre-ordering their albums, reading Dessa’s poetry, or buying loads of merch, however, their concerts are definitely the absolute highlight.

This year marked their tenth-annual and last Blowout, so everything was touched with a sense of finality, which packed their performances with even more punch than usual. More than a week of concerts had understandably taken a toll on their voices, but their heart and unadulterated energy more than made up for it. I had some serious concerns that they were going to explode First Avenue, but I’m grateful that they didn’t so I could attend the next concert on this list.

The Current’s 10th Anniversary Birthday Party including Allan Kingdom, Hippo Campus, Dead Man Winter, and Cold War Kids at First Avenue on Jan. 23rd

I was pumped for this show because of the diversity of the lineup, which featured up-and-coming and established artists from our home state to the West Coast.

The night kicked off on a groovy note with self-proclaimed weird local rapper Allan Kingdom. If you haven’t heard of him, you might have heard of Corbin (formerly Spooky Black), who often collaborates with Kingdom in thestand4rd. He is also a “wonderful” (check out the song “Evergreens” to get that pun) enunciator, so if your gripe with rap is that you can never understand the lyrics, he could be your new favorite. While a healthy number of people in the crowd excitedly bobbed and bounced to his sparse beats and melodic runs, Kingdom mostly served as a warm-up for the freak-out fest that ensued when the next band took the stage.

Hippo Campus, a band comprised of St. Paul natives a mere two years out of high school, played the sold-out Mainroom like professionals. They are insanely skilled and magnetic performers for their age or any age-range for that matter, and have already gathered a substantial local following that ranges from critics to fangirls like me. Their song “Little Grace” was recently featured in a Valleyfair commercial that aired locally during the Super Bowl. These babies are on their way to the top, and I couldn’t be prouder.

Up next was Dead Man Winter, who brought the tempo down to a simmering sway. Dave Simonett, who also sings for Trampled By Turtles, has this remarkable ability to tug at my heartstrings, and I found myself getting lost in the music more than a few times. There’s nothing in the world like the sweet sounds of a fiddle.

Lastly, Cold War Kids, the sole national act of the night, closed out the show. Cold War Kids played a variety of songs that have been staples on The Current throughout its ten-year run, including “Hang Me Up to Dry” and “Audience,” as well as newer songs such as “All This Could Be Yours” from their latest album of the same name. They rocked harder than I thought they would and exhibited a delightful exuberance that kept the attention of the entire crowd, so they fit perfectly into the mood of the show.

Whew, congrats are in order if you made it through all of that! Nichole will be back soon to cover the Dr. Dog and Phox show taking place at First Avenue this weekend.