By Jessica Spottek
If you know about Diane Coffee’s music…more so, himself…you’ll know that this concert review will already be amazing. I had the opportunity to cover and review their show for KURE in Davenport, IA at the Triple Crown Whiskey Bar and Raccoon Motel. ‘Twas a night to say the least, but let’s talk concert!
The Venue
I’ve never been to venues in the Quad Cities, but this venue was so awesome! The Triple Crown Whiskey Bar is located right across the street from Hotel Blackhawk in the downtown Davenport area. It’s a “young, hipster, up-and-coming” area in downtown, and a great place for food and drinks. I wasn’t able to get a picture of the outside, but last night was beautiful weather! People were on the picnic benches and playing lawn games, awaiting the anticipated show. The inside, however, was super cool! There was many vintage collections including signs and toys. One of my favorite things in Triple Crown was the wall with every performer they’ve had on Polaroid!
The Minks
Before Diane Coffee, The Minks opened with an awesome set! I haven’t heard of them prior to the show, but their music is stunning. Their last song was probably my favorite, but I don’t remember what it was titled. I loved the singer’s outfit for the performance; her red dress sparkled on stage! There set wasn’t too short, and the audience loved every song. After their set, I got to talk to the band outside for a quick interview.
Though the members are from all over the country, The Minks are a Nashville-based band. They met by being neighbors and living together for a while in Tennessee, while having mutual friends. They didn’t really know how to describe their music, but we came up with a southern Velvet Underground-esque band. “It’s like garage/alt rock with good vibes.”
Their biggest influences are Velvet Underground and Patty Smith, and would love to someday perform with Jerry Lee Lewis. The Minks have played many shows around the country, but one of their favorites was at Otis Mountain during a music festival. Their first LP, “Light and Sweet”, will release in September, so be on the lookout! If you haven’t heard of The Minks, give them a listen!
Diane Coffee
Shaun Fleming, also known in his band “Diane Coffee”, is one of the most expressive performers I have ever seen on stage. I saw him last summer while back home in Milwaukee when I won tickets to his show at Colectivo. (Funny thing now that I get to cover his show a year later!). I was outside with The Minks when everyone started cheering. As I turned around, the band was dressed up in these bright, cosmic outfits, walking indoors from their van. On every tour, Diane Coffee always has some sort of theme to their show. Their lastest album, “Internet Arms”, brought a cosmic vibe to their stage attire, and who am I to hate? It was so awesome!
Diane Coffee performed most of their newest music, but I was super excited when they played “Everyday” from their past album, “Everybody’s A Good Dog”. It’s great to see the difference and variance in the band’s discography between albums, and that’s what makes their audience appreciate them so much more. Fleming has some pipes, and his range is incredible! I think many other new listeners would love him for his voice as well.
As I’ve mentioned earlier, Fleming has such a crave for performing and it shows. I remember seeing him last summer and thinking: “Man, this guy is crazy on stage!”. He’s got some moves, and loves to express his emotions through music. I love when he becomes super emotional between songs. It’s almost like multiple personalities, but for one artist. Diane Coffee’s other band members are also super cool! The keyboardist brought out a portable synth keyboard during the show, and everybody cheered for his solo. The drummer also had an amazing solo! Fleming told the audience that during the tour, the drummer was hit by a car. Crazy story, but he’s okay and doing well
Overall, I would say that last night’s performance in Davenport was pretty spectacular, and what a show it was! I love that the bands connected with the audience and made them feel connected and special to the artists themselves. It was awesome to talk to the bands before and during the show at the bar or outside, and felt like a super intimate night. The crowd was happy, the vibe was great, and I couldn’t have been more content with myself during my first solo concert coverage. I’d definitely go back to Triple Crown again for more performances! Some of their upcoming shows include Black Pumas, Abby Jeanne, and Caroline Rose (I wish I could see her again but I’ll be back in Ames!).
Diane Coffee’s album”Internet Arms” is out everywhere, and be sure to catch it on 88.5 KURE: Ames Alternative! One of my favorite tracks off of this album would be “Not Ready To Go” and “Stuck In Your Saturday Night”. Check out Diane Coffee if you haven’t already!
