Words by Tip Sayarath for Music in Minnesota.
It’s Tuesday night in Minneapolis. New York native, Gabriel Garzon-Montano takes the stage to open for Kali Uchis. As the first act, general crowd noise is a common issue to overcome, however, silence grew quickly as people gathered closer together to hear his soulful R&B/Funk inspired vocals.
Gabriel put on an intimate show, showcasing his talent on various instruments. The crowd cheers loudly as he ends his show with an impressive guitar solo.
Kali Uchis comes on and the crowd is screaming. Her fanbase is mostly full of early 20-year-old women of various ethnicities but predominantly Hispanic/Latino. It was meaningful to see these young women looking up to her.
Kali opens with, “Dead to Me”, an upbeat, yet simultaneously dark tune. A song surely to remind you of your most recent ex.
The energy level of the crowd stayed high and steady as she made her way through an 18-song set. I spoke to a young women who has never been to First Avenue until this very night. Her sister however, got busted at the door with a fake I.D., but that didn’t stop her to see Uchis on her own.
Uchis’s performance went smoothly as all her songs transitioned into different genres as her debut album, “Isolation” showcases. Her sexy voice and sensual dance moves hypnotized the audience as her truthful lyrics and straight forward personality empowered young women to stay strong and grounded during difficult times. There wasn’t one song the crowd didn’t sing along to during her sold out show.