Review and photos: Solid Gold unveil new songs at the Turf Club
by Cecilia Johnson and Emmet Kowler
February 22, 2022
Finally! More than 700 days after their show was originally scheduled, Solid Gold delighted a sold-out audience on Friday at the Turf Club.
Even before they announced a hometown headlining show for March 2020, Solid Gold and their synthy indie rock had long been out of the spotlight, hailing from the days before SEO ruled band names (even now, “Solid Gold band” turns up ads for wedding rings). They became Minneapolis darlings after releasing Bodies of Water in 2008, and members Adam Hurlburt and Zach Coulter contributed to the soft rock whirlwind that was Gayngs around the turn of the decade.
Following Eat Your Young in 2012, Solid Gold showed few signs of life until 2019’s “Towns,” which I count as one of the sexiest songs in recent Minnesota music. Along with the song, the band announced a March 2020 concert, which became one of the first Minnesotan shows to get canceled due to COVID-19. A Nov. 2021 date also got scooted further down the calendar, and on Friday — almost two years into the pandemic — Solid Gold finally got the chance to shine.
“It feels good to be in capable hands,” I wrote in my notebook during Solid Gold’s first song, having forgotten what it’s like to watch a band who’ve shaken off the cobwebs. Dave Power’s drums jumped out of the mix, and this band’s core members have been unbothered about “professional” stage presence for years, but their chops are undeniable. Adam Hurlburt’s bass, in particular, held down the music so Zach Coulter’s vocals and sparkling synths could float.
Solid Gold threw several new songs into the set list — not including “Towns” or 2020 single “Believe Me,” oddly enough. The tunes they did play were excellent: like Radiohead in their lean strength and sweet falsetto, but fun. “We’re making a new record — buy some stuff to help out,” the band wrote on the “Solid Gold Crap ‘N S***” menu at the merch table.
Between Coulter’s warm, casual confidence, the band’s overgrown haircuts, and the crowd’s eau de cigarette smoke, the scene reminded me of my days working at a summer seafood shack. Careerism? Wellness? “Nah,” the band seemed to say. “Let’s have a beer and make good s***.”
Mike Kota, the frontperson of Good Luck Finding Iris, performed solo before Solid Gold. It was her first time playing the Turf Club, she said, and she needed a couple songs to settle in — but once she performed “On My Side,” the rich highlight of her EP Rift, audience members were pledging allegiance. Kota was a brilliant choice for a Solid Gold opener, thanks to her moody, gleaming beats and cool vocals. Like the headliners, Kota also shared several new songs, including “Corner,” “I Know You Know,” and “Natalie.”
Solid Gold personnel
Core members:
Zach Coulter – vocals
Adam Hurlburt – bass
Matt Locher – synths
Featured players:
Jacob Mullis (Fort Wilson Riot) – guitar/keys/vocals
Dave Power (The Staves, Aero Flynn) – drums
Cecil Otter (Doomtree) – synths
Solid Gold set list
Armoured Cars
Switched Blade (working title)
In and Outta (working title)
Bible Thumper
Punched In The Faith (working title)
On My Way (working title)
Really Wanna (working title)
Elephants
Who You Gonna Run To?
Encore:
Calm Down
Get Over It
