The newest Trifecta of rock in Minneapolis

As you may already know, I am a bit of a statistics geek. So after these first four months of 2009, I decided to look back over the list of shows I've seen so far this year again. I was intrigued to realize that there are three bands in particular that are leading the way in terms of the number of shows I've seen from them compared to everyone else.

So far this year, I've seen 9 shows by ReadyGoes, 8 by The Invincible Kids, and 7 by The Wannabe Hasbeens. (Plus after this weekend is finished I'll be able to tally on another 1 for WBHB and 2 for TIK.) Nobody else is above 4 (Joey Ryan & The Inks, Sick of Sarah, The Soviet Machines) and everyone else I've ever seen is at 3 or less so far in 2009.

The most intriguing thing I noticed is that there have literally been only two weeks, as in Sunday-to-Saturday, in which I did not see a show by any of those three bands so far this year. Observe:

Dec 28-Jan 3: TIK
Jan 4-10: TIK
Jan 11-17: RG
Jan 18-24:
Jan 25-31: RG+TIK
Feb 1-7: TIK+WBHB
Feb 8-14: RG (x2)
Feb 15-21: RG+TIK
Feb 22-28: WBHB
Mar 1-7: TIK
Mar 8-14:
Mar 15-21: WBHB (x2)
Mar 22-28: WBHB, RG
Mar 29-Apr 4: WBHB+TIK
Apr 5-11: TIK
Apr 12-18: RG, WBHB
Apr 19-25: RG
Apr 26-May 2: RG, WBHB+TIK, TIK

So not only are these three bands seeming to play the most often in town these days, they also seem to do it exactly when I'm able to make it to their shows. Even more convenient is when at least two of these bands share a bill with one another, which has happened 4 times (5 after this weekend).

This inter-band unity is the kind of stuff that made 2007-2008 one of the most amazing periods of musical renaissance in the Twin Cities music scene. Unfortunately, some of the bands that helped to make for that amazing time period rarely play in town (or just rarely play period) anymore. Everyone's still friends with everyone obviously, it's just that I don't get to see all of the same great bands as often as I used to.

But ReadyGoes, The Invincible Kids, and The Wannabe Hasbeens — both individually and collectively — offer another shining example of what happens when great music gets together. The bands are all friends with each other obviously, plus Mo plays in both ReadyGoes and The Wannabe Hasbeens anyway. When one of these bands has a show, I know it'll probably be great; but when two or more of them get together, there's serious potential for band crossover insanity as well.

So, just like another great Minneapolis Trifecta before them, (White Light Riot-The Alarmists-The Debut, which played a series of 4 amazing shows all together in 2007) RG-TIK-WBHB is one hell of a show that I would love to see happen more than once this year, or anytime soon. Let's make it happen dudes.