Dive Bar Saints Album Release Shows-Minneapolis and Chicago

Sitting here in my favorite booth in the Milky Way Café at Organic Valley reflecting on the incredible week of music, friends, happiness, and excitement I was so blessed to be a part of. Home Free had two Dive Bar Saints Album Release shows in Minneapolis and Chicago as well as a fair performance in Indiana this past week and I was lucky enough to be at all three of these shows. This particular post will recap the Dive Bar Saints shows and a blog about the fair will follow at some point. And I am not even trying to deceive myself into thinking this blog will be a short one. It won’t be. Too much to share with you all! 

*Reminder to click pics to enlarge and un-blur them if viewing on mobile*

The venues in both Minneapolis and Chicago were not friendly to my camera-both were very dark with some dimmer lighting than usual and my camera does not play nice with that combination. I will post many pictures as part of this recap, but several are not the quality I prefer to share. But the experience of trying to catch these five gentlemen in a moment is what I love about the challenge of photography and sometimes I win and sometimes I lose (watch for some winners in the Elkhart County Fair post!).

The Minneapolis show at First Ave will be one for the Home Free history books for me. It was absolutely amazing with the incredible vocals and the energy of the crowd. Unfortunately, for our crew we did have some setbacks in the night, but I am sure somehow it will all make for good stories down the road and not bad memories. First of all there were supposed to be six of us attending this event, but only three ended up making it through the show. One of my good friends fell ill that morning and decided a mosh pit of people probably wouldn’t be the best for her, and I agree it was a good decision not to attend. The second disaster took place when one of our friends forgot her ID back in Wisconsin, in her car. The show was 18 and over and while she is 20 years old, they weren’t willing to budge on letting her in. We did everything we could including getting the band involved to plead her case to security (no luck) and she even purchased a new ID online from the DMV and the venue also refused to accept it. She decided we should still attend the show and she would just wait it out in the car until we were done with the show (now, that is a good friend right there!). Four of the six of us entered the venue for the show and settled in the front row, but after a set by Jeffrey East and one song into Home Free’s set my best friend Michele leaned up against the front railing as if she was about to pass out. Funny thing is I made a joke earlier that someone was going to pass out in there because it was so hot and as hundreds of people packed in, it got steamier. The performance was also standing room only, so people were literally on top of each other sharing all of that summer body heat, unlike a seated show where you have some space to breathe. Saying it, I wasn’t expecting it to be a member of our crew. Security finally noticed she was struggling and gave her some water. After drinking a bottle, she still wasn’t feeling better so they took her out to sit. I kept looking to the side of the stage where they took her to see if I could catch a glimpse of how she was doing, but couldn’t see her. Unfortunately, with the number of people who were in there cell phones weren’t working the best and she messaged me to let me know she was leaving, but I didn’t get it until a half an hour after she was gone. So, our crew was down to half. I feel bad for the three who weren’t able to be there/stay for it because it truly was a spectacular show.

The show opened with Jeffrey East, a Nashville singer/songwriter and friend of the guys. I also got to see Jeffrey perform at Tim’s Birthday Bash a couple weeks prior and knew everyone was in for a treat. He has such a sweet, gentle way about his music. For one of his songs Jenika joined him in a performance that was breathtaking. I am hoping for more collaborations between these two in the future. Jeffrey is also pretty comical when he is not singing. Just a good entertainer all around.

The Guys performances did not disappoint. If anything I think the exceeded the expectations I had. I have heard them perform several of the new songs off the Dive Bar Saints album previously, but they upped their game for this show. The crowd gave them so much love that another blogger who covers shows at First Ave noted, “The applause and cheers after their first three songs were the longest I recall at First Ave.” Being part of that cheering crowd was a wonderful feeling because you could see how much the Guys were just soaking it in but reading those words by Markus Akre filled me with so much pride for them. It was all so well-deserved and just filled my heart with some indescribable feelings.

To fit the Dive Bar theme, the stage included a handmade wooden bar that the Guys took advantage of for a couple of shots, out of their own glasses that they later tossed into the crowd to some lucky fans. 

While all the Dive Bar Saints songs are so good live, I think “Catch Me If You Can” live is my favorite followed by “Dreamer” and Austin’s original “Love Me Like That”. But honestly, I can’t even choose because “Country Roads” and “Remember This” are just as good. Austin’s emotion during “Love Me Like” that was something that immediately captivated me with his performance. Fans listening to the track can surely figure out where that emotion came from and I told him how much I appreciated him sharing that emotion through his music and in particular in his performance of the song that night. Jeffrey joined the Guys on stage for a song he helped to write called “Why Not”. Fans got to do some song participation for this one that made it a lot of fun. I can’t sing, so it always petrifies me when they want us to sing along. I usually end up just mouth the words as not to kill the ears of those around me. Along with songs off the new album, the Guys also performed some of tour classics such as “Elvira” “Timeless/Try Everything” and “Ring of Fire”. Tim’s last note of Ring of Fire almost blew the roof off the venue. I am not sure I can recall another performance where he shook the entire venue the way he did at First Ave.

I have been to many Home Free shows/events and this one in Minneapolis ranks up there somewhere…top 10, top 5 even, I am not exactly sure where to put it yet, but one of the best that’s for sure.

The Chicago show at Joe’s on Weed was the same set list but the intensity of the crowd and the feeling that Minneapolis had just wasn’t there for some reason. I can attribute that to a couple of things. For one, First Ave was a standing show which in my experiences has always lead to a better, stronger reaction from the crowds that the Guys feed off of and give more back. The show at Joe’s was supposed to be a standing only show as well, but due to poor ticket sales and fans not happy with SRO a late decision was made to make this a seated show with some standing. This did help improve the tickets sales, but again I feel it lead to a different level of intensity in the space. The second thing was just the smaller crowd. It was still a good crowd with lots of cheers and noise, but nothing compared to what the Minneapolis crowd brought three nights prior.

There were also some disappointments with this show, as with the first. We got to the venue early to eat, chat with the Guys, and just to hang out, which is always a good time. While we were waiting an older lady, and I am not good with guessing ages, but want to say in her late 60’s pulled up a chair at the gate and just sat there by herself for a long time. She kept writing notes and we were trying to figure out if she worked there or if she was a fan. Eventually, we started talking to her and come to find out she comes to Joe’s frequently for live performances and wanted to check the Guys out. The notes were her trying to write down information on them so she would know who they were when they hit the stage. And well, luckily Stephanie and I happen to know just a little bit about the Guys so we answered question after question for her. Everything from their names, to what they sing, to which one was our favorite, to which one was the sexiest (which to her wasn’t defined by just physical appearance), to which ones had facial hair (which she is not a fan of by the way, so we told her there is only one without facial hair currently and she seemed rather disappointed in that). We also got to introduce her to a couple of the Guys as they walked in and out. She was adorable when Rob was walking by her and she said “oh, you are one of them, aren’t you?” and he smiled and said yes I am. At one point Chance and Jeffrey came out to chat with fans during a live stream and after they walked away she noted that Chance was rather handsome even though he has a beard. Where this story turns into a disappointment is with the way they ended up doing tickets due to the added seats. This woman was accustomed to SRO and how it is first come, first serve which is how it was supposed to be and is for other performances they have there. When they added the seats Home Free patrons who purchased presale tickets were told to get a wristband which would allow them to sit in the very front. Unfortunately, this wasn’t very clear for all fans and when we checked in with our patreon presale tickets they said all we needed was a hand stamp and we were not issued wristbands. Our new friend wouldn’t have qualified for a wristband as she is not a patron but she waited for 5.5 hours to be first in line for a front row center spot. When they let us in it was a mad house with people running everywhere and she made it to the seat she wanted. We got stopped by security and it caused some issues for us as well as other people. Someone actually tried to pick a fight with Stephanie over the seat she was in and security realizing we in fact did belong there compromised with us on seating. Our new friend wasn’t so lucky. She waited all that time for security to tell her she had to move to the back to stand that she couldn’t have a front row seat-at a general admission venue. Stephanie and I were very upset with all of this after the show when she messaged us on Instagram and told us she stood where they told her to and decided she didn’t want to stay for the performance. How heartbreaking. She talked for hours with us to learn all about them, was in the live stream, just to feel so disappointed she wouldn’t even stay to hear them perform. It’s really too bad people wouldn’t make it out to this venue for a standing show like they did in Minneapolis. Adding the seats caused issues this venue, and fans, don’t normally have to deal with.

I don’t really need to recap the show itself as like I said it was pretty much a repeat of the Minneapolis show, but the best thing for me was sitting next to an older gentleman and his two daughters. It just happened his name was Joe, but apparently not THAT Joe. We started chatting as he asked me questions about my camera as he is looking to purchase one and then that lead to the usual conversation of “is this your first time seeing them?” and for him it was. He was seated right in front of a large speaker, so I warned him the bass might attack him. He said he couldn’t wait. As I mentioned before Jeffrey is a comedian on stage and Joe laughed so hard at his initial jokes that Jeffrey took to him and developed a banter back and forth for his entire set. It was so much fun listening to the two of them go back and forth. Joe had the most infectious, loud laugh and I am sure the whole venue could hear him. When Jeffrey asked him his name and he said “Joe” Jeffrey teased him about being that Joe and when he said he wasn’t, Jeffrey proceeded to tell him he wasn’t good at being incognito. After the show Joe asked me to take a picture of him to send to Jeffrey so he had a pic of his new friend. I happily obliged.  I then let him know that Jeffrey would be out to meet fans and he could go and get a selfie with him. He was so excited to meet him…like a kid going to a candy store, it was so cute, and melted my heart. I LOVE these types of interactions between musicians and their fans. He met him and took the selfie and as he was leaving I said I suppose I don’t need to send the pic to Jeffrey anymore as you met him. He told me he still wanted Jeffrey to have a pic of him because he now had a pic of Jeffrey. Told me to tell Jeffrey he will autograph it for him the next time he gets to see him. I put the pic on my Instastory to Jeffrey with that message and Jeffrey reposted the story with “DEAL” written on it. This whole interaction between Joe and Jeffrey made me so happy. I am not always sure artists understand the happiness they bring to people. This is something Joe, and even I, will always remember when I think of that night.

On nights like Thursday I find myself so incredibly grateful I know these wonderful gentlemen and am able to travel to their shows and take pictures of them living their best life. This show put a cap on two amazing months of living my best Home Free life and I often wonder what my life and level of happiness would be like had I not met them several years ago and decided to travel around capturing them. They are definitely five of the best people I know and I am thankful every day I can say that.

Stephanie and Austin after the show in Chicago (two of my favorite people 💙)

If you haven’t done so already, order the Dive Bar Saints album. You won’t be disappointed in the music that is on it. They have poured their hearts and souls into the tracks and watching them perform this past week, it is so evident they have. Also, tickets are on sale for the Dive Bar Saints Tour and this week tickets for the DBS Christmas Tour will be available. Get to a show if you can. Experience these Guys live if you haven’t already. There is nothing like seeing their incredible talent right there in front of you on that stage. And if you have been to shows before, I don’t need to convince you of anything, you already know.

**On a side note, while upset with the wristband/seating issues at the venue, I would highly recommend visiting Joe’s if you are in that area of Chicago. They had really good food at inexpensive prices. The venue was very spacious and the wait staff was extra friendly. They also let us wait there for hours just taking up space. At one point we had Starbucks delivered and they didn’t even bat an eye at the fact we were in their establishment but giving money to another business. The menu is a lot of what you would expect at a bar/pub: burgers, sandwiches, mac and cheese, pizza egg rolls, quesadillas, and the usual fries, chicken strips, onion rings, etc. Most of the items were between $4-$10, which shocked me for being in the big city where things always seem overpriced.**

As always, thank you for taking time to check out my blog and photos.