DNM & Yam Haus at the Palace Theatre

Gatrs December 28, 2021 Events

I’ve said it before and I will say it again– one of my favorite things about going to shows night after night is seeing a band grow. I had the absolute honor of catching Yam Haus at the beautiful and spacious Palace Theatre in Saint Paul on Friday and to say it made my heart full would be an understatement. I’ve seen this band play on multiple stages from The Amsterdam Bar & Hall to First Avenue main room. Regardless of what stage this young band has been on, they always leave me impressed and Friday night was absolutely no different.

DNM really took form as a band over quarantine so they are still fairly new to the scene but I expect big things from this band in the near future and am already craving another show from them.

Kicking things off on the chilly Friday show was the one and only DNM. I had never heard of this band before I caught them a few weeks ago at The Fine Line for a pop-up Hippo Campus show but, within the first few notes of their set that night, I was in love so I was stoked to have the chance to catch them again. DNM’s (as in Denim) has such a cool and distinct sound. It’s a little funk, a little R&B, a little indie-pop, and a whole lot of attitude and personality. Their live show mirrors all of those sounds and tones. It’s fun and energetic while placing the music and sounds in the forefront of everyone’s minds and hearts. Unfortunately, I think the young audience that was in attendance on Friday night was just a bit too excited to see the headliner which led to DNM’s sound and energy-filled set falling a wee bit short for some, I’m sure, but their power and the overall flawless sound was not lost on my friends or me. DNM really took form as a band over quarantine so they are still fairly new to the scene but I expect big things from this band in the near future and am already craving another show from them.

Friday night’s show was supposed to consist of three bands but, in the time that we find ourselves in, it’s not uncommon for a band to have to drop off last minute due to a positive case of covid or even just an exposure. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to Keep For Cheap. Keep For Cheap was unable to perform on Friday night leaving a slight stall in the evening and a small hole in my heart. I’m all about checking out new bands (especially local ones) and was excited to see what they were all about. The night went on without missing a step (other than the slightly delayed start time), but, in my heart of hearts, I knew that something was missing. My eye is on Keep For Cheap’s calendar and I hope to see them soon!

There was dancing, smiling, and just good feelings all around which, in this day and age, is all we can really ask for.

As I mentioned, Yam Haus is a band that I have been following for years and, like a good wine, they just get better and better with age. Although I absolutely see a very bright future for these boys, their performance on Friday night was the best I had ever experienced before and maybe a pivotal moment in their career as a band. For those that don’t know, The Palace Theatre is a fairly big spot. It’s where I recently saw Alkaline Trio so for a local band to headline the place and have a packed crowd is truly an amazing accomplishment and one that Yam Haus absolutely deserved. As soon as they took the stage, there was a roar of applause and I feel like the excitement throughout the audience never faltered throughout their set.

I woke up this morning and my cheeks still hurt from smiling as much as I did as I watched these kids pour their hearts and souls onto the Palace Theatre stage just like they were born to do it.

Much like DNM, Yam Haus has a distinct sound and energy that can only be described as, well, Yam Haus. Their sound is a bit more of a standard indie-pop but there’s something special about their sound. There’s a Minnesota heart and kindness that comes through with every word and it gave the entire Palace Theatre a very wholesome vibe throughout the night. I loved watching the audience respond to this mood. Whether it was a young kid with their friends, a mother-daughter duo, or me and my slightly intoxicated friends, everyone was having the same amazing experience in their own way. There was dancing, smiling, and just good feelings all around which, in this day and age, is all we can really ask for.

Although I adore Yam Haus, I don’t know all of their song titles so I honestly can’t tell you what songs they played or anything like that but I can tell you that every track hit the spot. It was overall a super upbeat night and even had me, the one who typically refuses to move, dancing like a damn fool (and I was caught by a friend who can attest to this). I woke up this morning and my cheeks still hurt from smiling as much as I did as I watched these kids pour their hearts and souls onto the Palace Theatre stage just like they were born to do it.

As I mentioned, I’ve seen Yam Haus a few times now so I went back and read through some old articles and found a paragraph that I feel like I can’t reword, merely need to repeat over and over again-

I can’t stress this enough– Lars, Seth, Jake, Zach, and everyone else who has a hand in Yam Haus– congrats. The sky is the limit guys and everyone here in the Twin Cities has your back and can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you!

Line Up:

DNM

Yam Haus

Venue: Palace Theatre

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing

Average Age of the Crowd: 20

Crowd Surfers: None Spotted

Mosh-ability: 3 out of 10

Sausage-Fest Meter: 3.4 out of 10

Stage Divers: None

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around: $0

Broken Bones: None Noticed