Soundboard

Wham, bam, thank you, band! (Gayngs show review)

April Solberg & Kristen Lindquist |

Teasing the Minneapolis audience with a two-hour wait* after First Avenue’s doors opened, super group Gayngs [composed in part from a powerhouse of Eau Claire music scene alumni] finally put out shortly after midnight, May 14.

Ryan Olson, playing up the high school bad boy image, sauntered onto the bedazzled stage with cigarette and bottle of Jack Daniels in hand. The mastermind of the 23-member collaboration was then joined by band members from Bon Iver, Megafaun, The Rosebuds, Solid Gold and more. Encouraging the audience to rock out in their formalwear, The Last Prom on Earth was kicked off with Gayngs’ seductive single “The Gaudy Side of Town.”

Featuring Gayngs’ album Relayted, the barely one-hour concert was filled with slow jams infused with '80s cheese and a modern charm.

Prom highlights include: Megafaun’s ever-smiling Phil Cook; Ivan Howard’s Boyz II Men-like crooning morphing into Justin Vernon’s Bone Thugs-n-Harmony rap; Mike Noyce’s Fruit of the Looms and pearl necklace (No, for reals.); a swoon-inducing cover of Godley & Creme's “Cry”; and the smooth, smoky vocals of P.O.S.

Gayngs ended their set with Howard Jones’ 1985 hit “No One is to Blame,” while balloons and glitter confetti dropped from above. Prom-goers left the brief concert satisfied and craving a post-coital smoke.

*Editor's note: The 2-hour delay was caused by ... Prince? Yep, Prince. Reports indicate the Purple One did show up, guitar in hand, but decided not to play ... on stage.